Brian Joubert (; born 20 September 1984) is a French figure skating coach and former competitor. He is the 2007 World champion, a three-time (2004, 2007 & 2009) European champion, and the 2006–07 Grand Prix Final champion. On the domestic level, he is an eight-time (2003–2008, 2011, 2012) French National champion. In total, he is a six-time World medalist, a ten-time European medalist, and competed in four Winter Olympics for France. Joubert is one of the four male skaters who achieved a Grand Slam, winning all major international competitions throughout the same season, as well as the first men to land 100 quadruple jumps in international competitions. Personal life Brian Joubert was born in Poitiers, Vienne to Raymonde and Jean-Michel Joubert. He has two older sisters, Sarah and Alexandra. He suffered a life-threatening illness at the age of 11 months, which led to the removal of one kidney. Joubert has been considered a heartthrob in his native country, France. This reputation has been contributed by media appearances after his first victory at the 2004 European Championships and silver medal at the World Championships and short relationship with former Miss France, Lætitia Bléger. He later brought a lawsuit against Bléger for 40,000 Euros for insinuating that he was homosexual and that their relationship was arranged to hide this. Bléger and two magazines that published her allegations were ordered by a French court to pay a total of 17,000 Euros, and to publish the court ruling in one of the two magazines. Joubert was later involved with Italian figure skater Valentina Marchei but the relationship ended by 2009. Joubert keeps many pets, which can be seen in television reports about his home life. He is also known as a motorcycle and car racing enthusiast. In March 2006, Joubert's biography, Brian Joubert: le Feu sur la Glace (Brian Joubert: the fire on ice), was published in French. A second book about him, entitled Brian Joubert sur papier glacé (Brian Joubert on glossy paper), was published in February 2010. Career Early career Brian Joubert began skating at the age of four, with his sisters. Although he originally hoped to play hockey, Joubert became fascinated with the jumping aspect of figure skating. Joubert took part in few international events as a junior. His first major international competition was the 2000 World Junior Championships, where he placed 15th. The following season, he placed 4th at both