Mary Glen-Haig

Mary Glen-Haig competed at four Olympic Games in women’s foil fencing, from 1948-60, making the final round in 1948. She was individual foil gold medalist at the 1950 and 1954 British Empire Games. Glen-Haig had a career as a hospital administrator in London, notably King’s College Hospital from 1939-73, Charing Cross Hospital from 1974-82, and she was President of Princess Christian Windsor Hospital from 1981-85, after which she retired.

In sports administration Glen-Haig was President of the British Ladies Amateur Fencing Union (1964-73); President of the Amateur Fencing Association from 1986; a member of honor of the Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE) since 1999; chairman of the Central Council of Physical Recreation from 1975-81, and then Vice-President beginning in 1982; a member of the British Sports Council (1966-82); President of the British Sports Association for the Disabled from 1981 to 1991 and then Honorary President for life beginning 1991. She was a founding member and served as Vice-President of the Sports Aid Foundation.

In 1982 she was made the third female member of the IOC, and was on the Medical Commission from 1983-93, when she resigned from the IOC, and was made an Honorary Member. As an IOC Member she supervised the first Women’s Islamic Games in February 1993. Glen-Haig received an MBE in 1971, a CBE in 1977, and in 1993 was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).