Dr. Grant, a member of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, becomes the first Irish woman to receive an IOC appointment. In her new position she will monitor all physiotherapy activities and facilities for the 205 nations participating in London. During the Games it is expected that there will be a total involvement of up to 800 physiotherapists.
In addition she will be responsible for providing the Medical and Scientific Department of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne with guidelines on the organisation of physiotherapy services for the Olympic Games and is now the contact person for the IOC for all issues related to physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
She has served as Chief Physiotherapist to the Irish Olympic teams for five consecutive Olympic Games commencing with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics through to the 2008 Beijing Games. She has also served with the Irish Winter Olympic teams in Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010 and with ten European Youth Olympic teams.
Welcoming the appointment, Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland commented, “Marie-Elaine’s promotion to the IOC Medical Commission is well deserved. She has done sterling work for Ireland’s Olympians for many years and her outstanding skills will now enhance the work of the IOC at the highest level”.
Dr. Grant graduated in physiotherapy from UCD in 1981 and gained her PhD degree in 1997. Her research thesis was supervised by Emeritus Professor Craig Sharp, former director and founder of the British Olympic Medical Centre. She lectures on post-graduate MSc courses in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy for universities in Ireland and is frequently invited to present at international conferences. Her paper on “Eccentric exercise in Rehabilitation”, presented at the IOC Seminar on Sports Physiotherapy and Medicine during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, was highly commended.
She has been awarded Specialist Membership of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists in recognition of her contribution to Sports Physiotherapy in Ireland and continues to practice in Dublin.
