James Malcolm “Taffy” Cameron

Country: GBR
Honoree Type: Contributor

FOR THE RECORD: FINA Medical Committee: Honorary Secretary (1992-2000), Member since 1978; Retired Professor of Forensic Medicine at University of London and London Hospital, now Emeritus (1970-present); Honorary Medical Officer to the Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain (1985-2000); Chairman/Honorary Secretary Medical Committee of L.E.N. (1990-2000); Member Medical Advisory Sub-Committee of British Olympic Association (since 1976); Member of Various Anti-Doping Committees: Sports Council, I.O.C./I.F., Council of Europe; Member of 25 Learned Societies of Medical Nature; Author of Numerous Sport-Oriented Publications on Subjects Including Drowning Immersion, Anti-Doping, Medical Aspects of Swimming; 1993 Bleasdale Memorial Lecturer; Member F.I.N.A.’s Dope Control Review Board (since 2000).

As a retired professor of forensic medicine at the University of London, James Malcolm Cameron has been interested in the medical aspects of the aquatic disciplines including drownings, anti-doping and illegal drug use among athletes. Known affectionately as “Taffy,” Professor Cameron has authored numerous sports-oriented publications and served on many international organizations and committees. He has been appointed emeritus consultant to the British Army in forensic medicine and also serves as honorary civil consultant to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. He has been the Director of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the London Hospital Medical College (1970-1992) as well as honorary consultant to the Royal London Hospital (1967-1992). He is the past president (1978) and general secretary (1970-1985) of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences, serving as editor (1969-1995) and consulting editor of Medicine, Science and the Law since 1995. He is a past president (1985-1987) and a member of Council of British Association of Forensic Medicine. Internationally, he has served as the Honorary Professor in Forensic Medicine in the China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China (since 1988).

For the swimming community, he has been the honorary medical officer for the Beckenham Swimming Club (1976-2000) and the Kent County Amateur Swimming Association (1980-to date). For 15 years (1985-2000), he served as the honorary medical officer of the Amateur Swimming Association and served in the same position with the Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain (1980-2000). He has been a member of the Medical Advisory Sub-Committee of the British Olympic Association (since 1976) and a member of the Drug Abuse Advisory Group of the Sports Council (1988-to date). His contributions and qualifications have been exalted within the Ligue Europeenne de Natacion (L.E.N.) as chairman and honorary secretary of the Medical Committee (1990-2000). In July 2000, he received the L.E.N. Gold Pin.

Within La Federation Internationale de Natation  (F.I.N.A.), Professor Cameron has been a member of the Medical Committee (1987-2000) and its honorary secretary (1992-2000). He is a 1998 member of the F.I.N.A. Task Force and a member of F.I.N.A.’s Dope Control Review Board since 2000. He received the F.I.N.A. Silver Pin (1995) and Gold Pin (2000). In 1993, he was a Bleasdale Memorial lecturer in Kyoto, Japan.

Continuing with the Olympic Movement, Professor Cameron has been a member of the I.O.C./I.F.’s Working Group on “Harmonization of Rules on Doping Control.” He has been a member of the Council of Europe’s Anti-Doping Monitoring Group for a decade (1990-2000).

Professor Cameron has written over two dozen articles for publications and journals with subject titles on drowning immersion, anti-drug doping and medical aspects of swimming. He has also written over 150 articles on other medical topics for medical journals. A 1952 graduate of Glasgow University, he has worked tirelessly internationally to control the illegal drug use by athletes, not only for the purity of the sport but also for the well being of the athlete.

He is a member of 25 Learned Societies of medical nature including the British Association of Forensic Medicine (president 1985-1987), American College of Legal Medicine (fellow), Association of Police Surgeons of Great Britain (honorary fellow), International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (member), Association of Clinical Pathologists (member), British Association of Sports Medicine (senior member), and the International Society for the Prevention of Iatrogenic Complications (faculty member).

His days as a young rugby player have helped to mold his self-discipline and personal fortitude to excel in the medical field. His contribution to the aquatics community in striving for a more pure and drug-free sport and to make the sport safe can be shared by everyone.

The information on this page was written the year of their induction