Andrzej Stekala
Polish ski jumper comes out as gay after a stroke of fate
Polish ski jumper Andrzej Stekala came out as gay in an Instagram post – after losing his life partner. A difficult step for the Pole.
Homosexuality in sport is still a taboo topic in many areas. LGBTQ issues are also a hot topic in predominantly Catholic Poland. So the coming out of the Polish ski jumper Andrzej Stekala was certainly a difficult and courageous step for him.
The Pole publicly acknowledged his homosexuality for the first time on New Year’s Day. He lost his life partner in November and no longer wanted to hide for his sake. In a post on Instagram, the 29-year-old explained in moving words:
“For years I have lived in secret, afraid that I would lose what I had worked so hard for,” Stekala writes. Now a new chapter begins. “I want you to really get to know me. I’m gay.”
Andrzej Stekala on deceased partner: “We loved each other in silence, hiding our love from the world”
And further: “I don’t want to hide who I am anymore. I am me – a man who has loved and still loves. And I know that he would want me to live in peace with myself. Understood and respected that please. My story deserves light, not shadow.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Andrzej Stękała (@andrzejstekala)
At this point, our editorial team has integrated content from Instagram.
Due to your privacy settings, this content has not been loaded to protect your privacy.
Stekala said the couple met in 2016. His partner changed his life. “He was everything to me – my home, my heart. We loved each other in silence, hiding our love from the world to protect what was most important to us. I lost him in November last year. I can feel the pain “I can’t describe the feeling that came over me.”
Top Norwegian ski jumper Halvor Egnar Granerud wrote under Stekala’s post: “Stay strong, Andrzej. It’s heartbreaking to read about your loss. I hope that your brave year 2025 will be a good year for you, filled with the freedom to be you not having to hide. All the best.”
Difficult situation for homosexuals in Poland
The situation of LGBTQ people (LGBTQ is the English abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer) in Poland is still difficult today. Homosexuality is still a taboo topic in the predominantly Catholic country; Under the previous right-wing populist PiS government, the rights of LGBTQ people were further curtailed, wrote . According to the human rights organization, by the end of 2022, almost 80 administrative units in Poland will have declared themselves “LGBT-free zones.”
Stekala is one of the most experienced Polish ski jumpers. Stekala is not taking part in the current Four Hills Tournament; in the 2020/21 season he took sixth place. His greatest successes are the bronze medals with Poland at the 2021 World Cup and the 2020 Ski Flying World Cup.
rw
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
