Polish ski jumper Andrzej Stekala has publicly come out as gay, sharing an emotional message in which he mourned the loss of his partner, who passed away in November.

World Championship bronze medalist took to Instagram over the New Year to open up about "the most difficult thing in my life."

Polish ski jumper Andrzej Stękała came out as gay following the death of his longtime partner, Damian. Stękała, 29 - a member of the Polish national team and bronze medalist at the 2020 Ski Flying World Championships - shared a slideshow of photos and videos via Instagram from the duration of their relationship alongside his

"For years, I have lived in the shadow of fear," Stekala wrote in an emotional tribute to his late partner of eight years

A Polish ski jumper has come out publicly in a New Year’s Day post announcing the death of his partner of eight years. Andrzej Stękała, who won a bronze medal at the world championships in 2021, made the statement on social media,