It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has learnt of the death of Dame Mary Alison Glen-Haig DBE, aged 96, last Saturday.
Dame Mary Alison Glen-Haig was an IOC member from 1982 until 1994, and one of the first female members of the IOC. She was a member of the IOC Medical Commission (1983-1993) and became an IOC honorary member in 1994. She also held several positions within the British Olympic Association and the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), of which she was made a member of honour in 1999. In recognition of her lifelong commitment to sport, she was awarded the Olympic Order at the Centennial Olympic Congress in 1994 in Paris.
Before starting her administrative career in the Olympic Movement, she enjoyed a remarkable fencing career, which culminated in four appearances at the Olympic Games. In 1948, 1952 and 1956, she competed in the women's individual foil events, qualifying for the final. In 1960 in Rome, she was a member of the British women's foil team. By becoming an Olympian she echoed her father, William James, who participated in the fencing events of the 1908 Olympic Games in London.
Besides her sports career, she embraced a professional career in the medical field, which made her an ideal candidate for the IOC Medical Commission. Her passion for sport never left her, and she was a great supporter of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. "Dame Mary Alison Glen-Haig lived a life full of passion for sport and was a pioneer in many respects", said IOC President Thomas Bach. "Her skills on the sports field, as well as in the medical field, combined with her warm personality, made her unique. She was a true inspiration."
The IOC expresses its deepest sympathies to Dame Mary Alison Glen-Haig's family.