I No Longer Want to Hide Who I Am: Polish Ski Jumper Andrzej Stekala Comes Out

Polish ski jumper Andrzej Stekala, 29, made his coming out public on Wednesday via his social media accounts. In a heartfelt post, he explained, "For years, I lived in fear, hiding and terrified that being my true self would destroy me. I want you to know who I really am. I am gay."

Stekala, who began competing in the Ski Jumping World Cup in 2015, has won two bronze medals with Poland – one during the 2020 World Cup season and another at the 2021 World Championships.

In his statement, the athlete revealed that the death of his partner in November played a major role in his decision to come out. He expressed that he no longer wishes to hide, asserting his desire to live in harmony with his true self. This announcement is particularly significant in Poland, where conservative values and the strong influence of the Catholic Church mean that few athletes have publicly revealed their homosexuality.