Salah Dessouki

Salah Dessouki’s fencing career reached its prime after World War II, beginning with a bronze medal in the team sabre event at the 1947 World Championships. This led to his selection for the 1948 Summer Olympics, where he competed in all three team disciplines, as well as the individual sabre. In the team events, his best finish with fifth in the foil, alongside Osman Abdel Hafeez, Mahmoud Younes, Mohamed Zulficar, Hassan Tawfik, and Mahmoud Abdin, while in the individual sabre competition he was eliminated in the semifinals. Dessouki was more successful at the next two editions of the World Championships, taking team bronze in all three categories in 1949 and in foil and sabre in 1950. He also won silver in the team sabre event at the inaugural Mediterranean Games in Alexandria, as well as bronze in team foil and épée.

After earning a bronze medal in team foil at the 1951 World Championships, Dessouki represented Egypt a second time at the 1952 Olympic Games, where he again competed in the team version of all three disciplines, as well as the individual foil tournament. The same foil squad, with Mohamed Ali Riad replacing Abdin, finished just off the podium in fourth, losing the bronze medal match to Hungary. Individually, Dessouki finished seventh in the final pool, just behind his compatriot Younes, with two wins and six losses. In addition to fencing, Dessouki also played tennis and was the chairman of the famous Al-Ahly Sports Club from 1961 through 1965. Outside of sports, he was a businessman, politician, and confidant of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. This led to his appointment to several important national and international positions, including Governor of the Cairo Governorate in the 1960s.