Andrzej Stekala, a Polish ski jumper, came out as gay in public after delivering a heartfelt message in which he grieved the death of his lover in November.
With this, the athlete expressed: “For years I lived in the shadow of fear, in hiding, afraid that who I really was could destroy me. I want you to really get to know me. I’m gay.”
He added: “I no longer want to hide who I am. I am myself – a man who loved and still loves. And I know that he would want me to continue living in harmony with myself.”
Stekala stated that one of the reasons he chose to come out publicly was because he was grieving the loss of his long-term partner. In a social media post, he remarked: “In 2016, I met the person who changed my life. He’s been my rock, my support, my biggest supporter. Together we shared life, passions, joys and difficult moments. He was my everything, my home, my heart. We loved in silence, hiding our love from the world to protect what was most important to us.”
Moreover, few Polish athletes have come out as gay because of deeply ingrained conservative beliefs and the Catholic Church’s continued significant influence.
In 2015, the 29-year-old athlete participated in the World Cup. He competed for Poland at the 2020 Ski Flying World Championships where they won bronze, and the 2021 FIS World Championships.
Stekala is not playing for Poland at the ongoing Four Hills Tournament.
Source: CNA