Donald Macleod (surgeon)


Professor Donald Macleod FRCSEd, FFAEM, FFSEM, FISM is a Scottish former rugby union player and a former President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He is a retired surgeon and was the Scotland national rugby union team doctor for many years.

Medical career

He worked as a consultant general surgeon at West Lothian Hospitals from 1975 to 2001, and as associate postgraduate dean of surgery for south-east Scotland from 1993 to 2004. He was also an honorary professor of sports medicine at Aberdeen University from 1998 to 2003.
He was the Scottish rugby union team's doctor from 1969 to 1995 and their medical adviser from 1971 to 2003. He was also the British Lion' team doctor from 1983; and a member of the medical advisory committee of the International Rugby Board from 1977 to 2003.
He served as vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from 2001 to 2004; chairman of the Intercollegiate Academic Board for Sports and Exercise Medicine from 1998 to 2003; president of the British Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine from 1995 to 2002; and from 2005 to 2008 was chair of the medical committee for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games bid.
He received the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine's Sir Roger Bannister Medal in 2005.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

He played for Edinburgh Academicals.

Administrative career

He was a President of Selkirk rugby union club from 2009 to 2011.
He was elected Vice-President of the Scottish Rugby Union in 2012.
He became the 124th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the standard one year from 2013 to 2014.
It was during his presidency that a sponsorship deal with BT was secured. Macleod stated: 'Congratulations to the executive team on securing such a great deal for the whole of Scottish rugby. From Stornoway in the north to Selkirk in the south, this welcome investment comes as a very positive development for the entire game.'
In 2019, Macleod stood down from the committee of the Selkirk rugby club.