By Danny Ayalon
The Olympic Games' opening ceremony will take place 40 years after 11 Olympic athletes were murdered in cold blood by terrorists who targeted them because of their nationality.
In February 2010, International Olympic Committee president, Jacques Rogge, tearfully related to the world that Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili had died in a training accident just prior to the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. During the opening ceremony of the Games, Rogge and other IOC officials led an appropriate minute's silence in Kumaritashvili's memory.
With that in mind, it makes Rogge's absolute refusal to observe a minute's silence at the London Olympics on behalf of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games even more perplexing. When questioned about his refusal, Rogge has often retorted that a minute's silence is not in the protocol of the opening ceremony at an Olympic Games. Ankie Spitzer, the wife of Andre, one of those murdered 40 years ago, responded to Rogge, saying: "My husband coming home in a coffin was not in the protocol either."
In addition, staging a minute's silence at major international sporting events, to mark the passing of those associated with that sport, is already common practice, from the Yankee Stadium to Old Trafford.
No appropriate response has ever been given to the long-standing and sadly long-ignored request by the families to hold an official Olympic commemoration during the Games among the family of nations. My official request on behalf of the Israeli government for such a moment of silence was not rejected; it was ignored in an official response by Rogge who merely noted that there was already a planned commemoration expected during the Games.
Source, Read whole article: guardian
Lees: Olympische Comité hanteert dubbele standaarden
In remembrance of Andre Spitzer:
