Minute's silence in Olympic Village to mark Munich killings
A minute’s silence was held in London’s Olympic Village today in memory of the 11 Israeli team members killed at the 1972 Games 40 years ago in a “spontaneous” tribute by the IOC.
A campaign has been launched by the widow of one of the victims for a minute’s silence during the opening ceremony but IOC president Jacques Rogge has ruled that out.
Instead, the tribute was paid at the signing of the Olympic Truce, the first time it has happened inside an athletes village.
Rogge said: “I would like to start today’s ceremony by honouring the memory of 11 Israeli Olympians who shared the ideals and have brought us together in this beautiful Olympic Village.
“The 11 victims of the Munich tragedy believed in that vision. They came to Munich in the spirit of peace and solidarity. We owe it to them to keep that spirit alive and to remember them.
“As the event of 40 years ago reminds us, sport is not immune from, and cannot cure, all the ills of the world.”
Afterwards, Rogge insisted he had not made the surprise tribute in order to try to calm the calls for the silence during the opening ceremony.
“It was a spontaneous suggestion,” Rogge told reporters afterwards. “This is indeed the first time that it has happened in the Olympic village.
“I could not speak here about peace and sport without reminding what happened 40 years ago.
“The intention was not to calm anyone.”
London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe, mayor Boris Johnson and culture secretary Jeremy Hunt were all that the ceremony.
Rogge also did a tour of the village and said he was hugely impressed.
“This is a Premier League Olympic village,” he said.
