86 Facts About Brian Joubert

Brian Joubert is a French figure skating coach and former competitor.

Brian Joubert was born in Poitiers, Vienne to Raymonde and Jean-Michel Joubert.

Brian Joubert suffered a life-threatening illness at the age of 11 months, which led to the removal of one kidney.

Brian Joubert has been considered a heartthrob in his native country, France.

Brian Joubert later brought a lawsuit against Bleger for 40,000 Euros for insinuating that he was homosexual and that their relationship was arranged to hide this.

Brian Joubert was later involved with Italian figure skater Valentina Marchei but the relationship ended by 2009.

Brian Joubert keeps many pets, which can be seen in television reports about his home life.

Brian Joubert is known as a motorcycle and car racing enthusiast.

Brian Joubert began skating at the age of four, with his sisters.

Brian Joubert took part in few international events as a junior.

Brian Joubert made his international senior debut at the 2001 Skate America, where he placed 9th.

Brian Joubert was the youngest athlete to represent France at the Salt Lake City games and finished 14th.

Brian Joubert rose one spot to 13th at the 2002 World Championships the following month.

Brian Joubert won the French national championships that season, the first of six consecutive titles.

Brian Joubert was the silver medalist at the 2003 Europeans and placed 6th at the 2003 Worlds.

Brian Joubert won his first World medal, a silver, at that year's World Championships.

Brian Joubert had a better showing at the 2006 World Championships, winning the short program and finishing with a silver medal behind Stephane Lambiel.

Brian Joubert then reclaimed his European title at the 2007 European Championships in Warsaw.

Brian Joubert was injured while training in February 2007: the blade of his left skate slashed into his right foot during a triple lutz, an injury that required stitches to his tendon.

Brian Joubert returned to the ice only a few days later but the injury did not fully heal until a few days prior to the 2007 World Championships, and he was unable to properly train lutzes and flips.

Brian Joubert finished 3rd in the long program, but had built up enough of a lead in the short program to win overall, with a then-personal best score of 240.85.

Brian Joubert was forced to withdraw from the Trophee Eric Bompard, his second Grand Prix event, due to illness.

At the 2008 European Championships in January 2008, Brian Joubert earned the bronze medal despite a fall on the triple axel in the short program and mistakes in the long program.

Brian Joubert withdrew from the Final before the long program due to a back injury, and withdrew from the 2009 French Championships prior to the event.

Brian Joubert replaced his first long program with a new one, the first time he had made such a change in the middle of a season.

At the 2009 European Championships, Brian Joubert scored a new personal best to take the lead after the short program, and finished second in the long program, with a total score high enough to win his third European title.

Brian Joubert then made a coaching change prior to the season ending event, the inaugural World Team Trophy, where he finished second in the men's event; Team France finished 4th.

Brian Joubert was unable to resume normal training for several weeks.

Brian Joubert returned in time for the 2010 European championships, where he set a new personal best score for the short program but faltered in the free skate, finishing third overall.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Brian Joubert, considered by many to be a gold medal contender, skated poorly in the short program and wound up in 16th place at the end of the competition.

Brian Joubert then landed two more quadruple toe loops in the free skate but made mistakes on some of his other jumps, finishing fourth in that segment and winning his fifth consecutive medal at Worlds, a bronze.

Brian Joubert later said that he was very proud of his performance; he added that he had been unsure whether he would be able to compete again and had achieved his main goal, which was to regain his confidence.

Brian Joubert began the season with a fourth-place finish at his first Grand Prix.

Brian Joubert recovered in time to compete at the French National Championships, and won his seventh national title.

Only seventh after the short program, Brian Joubert was first in the free skate to win the silver medal at the 2011 European Championships, with compatriot Florent Amodio taking gold.

Brian Joubert injured his left knee during the season, and by the time of the 2011 Worlds, he was receiving injections in an attempt to manage the pain.

Brian Joubert added that it felt good to finish his season with such a performance.

At the beginning of the season, Brian Joubert announced that he would continue working with coach Veronique Guyon and choreographer David Wilson.

Brian Joubert sustained a back injury in practice shortly before the Cup of China and consequently withdrew from that event as well as from the Trophee Eric Bompard.

Brian Joubert did not fare well at the 2012 European Figure Skating Championships and placed 8th, the first time he had failed to win a medal at the Europeans.

At the 2012 Worlds, Brian Joubert skated his best short program in two years and set a new personal best score in the free skating and overall to finish fourth.

Brian Joubert declared that skating at the World Championships in France was the highlight of his career and that he was very pleased with his performance and looking forward to the next season.

Brian Joubert returned to the ice in time to compete at the Trophee Eric Bompard, but stated that he was not fully prepared due to his illness.

Brian Joubert went on to finish third in the short program and fourth overall.

Brian Joubert withdrew from the 2013 French National Championships on the day prior to the event as a result of the flu.

At the 2013 Europeans, Brian Joubert skated well in the short program to place third in that segment, but dropped to fourth overall after the free skate.

Brian Joubert next competed at the 2013 Challenge Cup, where he successfully defended his title.

Brian Joubert's assigned events for the 2013 Grand Prix season were Skate America and the 2013 Rostelecom Cup.

Brian Joubert returned to Poitiers and coach Veronique Guyon at the end of September 2013.

Brian Joubert withdrew from the 2013 Master's de Patinage competition several days prior to the event, stating that he needed additional training time in order to prepare for the season.

Some reports indicated that this was a sanction for his withdrawal from the Masters competition, although the French ice skating federation claims that Brian Joubert was withdrawn from the event due to illness.

Brian Joubert later withdrew from the Rostelecom Cup due to a back injury.

Brian Joubert returned to competition at the 2013 NRW Trophy, where he finished second.

At the 2014 French Nationals, Brian Joubert finished second in the short program and first in the long program, winning silver overall.

Brian Joubert was 8th at the 2014 European Championships, finishing as the top Frenchman at the event.

Brian Joubert competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics, his fourth time at the Olympics.

The oldest competitor in the men's event, Brian Joubert was 7th in the short program and 14th in the free skate, finishing 13th overall.

Brian Joubert announced his retirement from competitive skating immediately following the free skate, and stated his intention to become a coach.

In mid-May 2014, Brian Joubert began learning pair skating in Caen with Daria Popova and coach Jean-Francois Ballester.

For several days in June 2014, Brian Joubert worked as a coach in Kazakhstan together with Denis Ten and Alexei Yagudin.

Brian Joubert's mother said it was a test and denied that he intended to compete for Russia.

Brian Joubert previously experienced back problems and said his condition would factor in his decision whether to compete in pairs.

Brian Joubert is studying for a coaching diploma and intends to pursue a career as a skating coach.

Brian Joubert was considered a strong jumper during his competitive career.

Brian Joubert landed the quadruple salchow jump in competition and had a consistent quadruple toe loop jump.

At the 2006 Cup of Russia competition, Brian Joubert landed three quadruple jumps in his free skate: two toe loops and a Salchow, the first skater to accomplish this under the IJS.

Brian Joubert has stated in interviews that he considers quadruple jumps to be important for the future of figure skating as a sport.

Brian Joubert kept his training base in Poitiers throughout his career, in order to remain close to his family.

Brian Joubert trained for 15 years with Veronique Guyon, until she resigned from her position in the summer of 2003 to spend more time with her family.

Brian Joubert then started training with Laurent Depouilly, and took on Alexei Yagudin as an 'advisor'.

Brian Joubert later parted ways with Yagudin because of Yagudin's dislike for Nikolai Morozov, Brian Joubert's choreographer at the time.

Brian Joubert switched to Andrei Berenzitsev until he stopped coaching; Brian Joubert then briefly worked with Annick Dumont but they parted ways because she lived in Paris while he did not wish to leave Poitiers.

Brian Joubert left Simond following the 2009 Worlds, citing lack of trust.

Brian Joubert returned to Laurent Depouilly in April 2009 and was coached by him until May 2010.

Brian Joubert was unable to get ice in nearby Niort.

In September 2012, shortly before the Poitier rink's closure, Brian Joubert relocated to Paris; he trained with Annick Dumont at Champigny-sur-Marne and remained in contact with Guyon.

Brian Joubert lived at the Institute of Physical Education and said that he might be able to return to the Poitiers rink at the end of June 2013.

Brian Joubert received the Francois Lafon Prize 2003, the prize of the City of Paris 2007 from the French Academy of Sport.

Brian Joubert won the special prize of French Senate Trophy for Sports 2007.

Brian Joubert has sponsored an association for children with Williams syndrome, the assistance pet association Europe and others.

Brian Joubert has taken part in many local events of Poitiers city and Poitou-Charentes region.

Brian Joubert has toured primarily with the French show Stars Sur Glace during the off-season in France, but has performed in other countries, including Monaco, Italy, the United States, Russia, Japan and South Korea.

Brian Joubert has made many guest appearance on TV, including France 2's television gala Tenue de Soiree, figure skating world champion special, Tous ensemble on TF1, the popular adventure game show Fort Boyard on France 2 in 2004,2007,2008 and 2012.

Brian Joubert took on a starring role in the mini-series Brisons la Glace in 2012.

Brian Joubert has appeared in advertisements as a spokesperson for the French Olympic committee, his home city of Poitiers, and sponsor Damart, Risport Skate.

Brian Joubert has forged a partnership with French Alps ski resort Vaujany.