Brian Pockar

Brian James Pockar (October 27, 1959 – April 28, 1992) was a Canadian figure skater, Olympian, and sports commentator. A native of Calgary, Alberta, he was the 1982 World bronze medalist, a three-time Canadian national champion (1978–80), and competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Following his skating career, Pockar went on to become a respected choreographer and a figure skating commentator and analyst with CTV Sports. He also served as the artistic director of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics closing ceremonies.

Awards & Legacy Pockar is recognized as one of Canada's best athletes. He was presented with five Alberta Achievement Awards and in 1982 was presented with the Government of Canada Sport Excellence Award. He was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2012, Pockar was inducted posthumously into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the athlete category.

In his honour, the Pockar Foundation provides annual support for the Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut Brian Pockar Male and Mini-Male Seminars. As well, the Brian Pockar Award is presented annually at the Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut Awards Banquet to the Juvenile Men’s Champion at the Sectional Championships.

Personal life and death Pockar never declared his sexuality publicly, not unusual for the time. According to Brian Orser's affidavit in connection with a palimony lawsuit, Pockar came out during his employment as a commentator, which Orser says led to Pockar being fired. In Scott Hamilton's 1999 autobiography Landing It, Hamilton credited Pockar as one of the people who helped Hamilton reverse his homophobia. In his book Zero Tollerance, Toller Cranston relates what happened when Pockar first told him of having AIDS: "We talked as skater to skater, brother to brother, father to son, human to human, artist to artist. We had to talk, because there wasn't much time left. We talked without emotion. We talked about anything that had to be said. I told him things that went to the grave with him, and he told me certain things that I can never disclose to anyone. We traded notes and confidences. The next day I had to skate again in the freezing little rink, but we vowed to meet a second time. Three nights running, we met at the same restaurant, the same table, had the same drinks, and talked."

Pockar died of AIDS in 1992