Franjo Bucar

Dr. Franjo Bučar (November 25, 1866, in Zagreb – December 26, 1946, in Zagreb) was a Croatian writer and sports propagator of Slovenian origin. He is considered to be the father of Croatian sport.

He was born to Slovenian father and Croatian mother and was educated in Zagreb, Vienna and Stockholm where he studied Swedish gymnastics.

In 1894, he returned to Croatia from Sweden. Upon his return he founded the first Skating Association consisting of a skating section. Between 1894 and 1896 when he was a physical trainer he introduced his students to hockey on ice (bandy hockey). He imported the equipment needed to play the game (hockey sticks, balls, etc.) from Prague after a visit there.

In addition to ice hockey and skating, Bučar was also introduced and propagated football, gymnastics, alpine skiing, and fencing to Croatia.

Bučar was elected the first president of Croatian Sports Federation, which he founded, in 1909. He was the founder and president of the Yugoslav Olympic Committee which initially operated in Zagreb. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1920 until his death in 1946.

In 1991 Croatia established the Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport, the highest award for exceptional achievements in the development of sport.