Kamil Stoch's First Coach Criticizes Adam Małysz: 'He's Jealous'

Krzysztof Sobański, the first coach of Poland’s most decorated ski jumper Kamil Stoch, did not hold back his criticism in an interview with Polsat Sport. He expressed his discontent over how the situation in the Polish national team has been handled, specifically pointing the finger at former champion Adam Małysz, whom he accused of being jealous, and at coach Thomas Thurnbichler for negatively affecting the team atmosphere.

Stoch’s exclusion from the team for the World Championships in Trondheim has raised many eyebrows. Sobański stated, "I am outraged by the way our most successful ski jumper is being treated. I am not surprised that the president, Adam Małysz, is taking the blame," and recalled how Małysz once had tense relations with former national coach Łukasz Kruczek – a conflict that was eventually resolved with the help of individual trainer Hannu Lepistoe, leading to Olympic success.

Sobański further underscored that if a player of Stoch’s caliber is not respected, then something is seriously amiss within the team. He also linked the current issues to Stoch’s new collaboration with Michal Doleżal during the season, a move that he believes does not sit well with Thomas Thurnbichler.

Commenting on the selection process, Sobański noted that the team roster was predetermined, which rendered the recent competitive performances moot. With the World Championships in Trondheim looming, the Polish squad will include athletes such as Paweł Wąsek, Aleksandra Zniszczoła, Dawid Kubacki, Jakub Wolny, and Piotr Żyła, setting the stage for a heated competition this weekend.