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Recently it was announced that Great Britain’s secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Jeremy Hunt, will not join the international campaign for a moment of silence for the 11 Israeli athletes murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
There have been calls for a moment of silence from around the world. More than fifty members of the British Parliament have signed a motion. The effort is backed by the German Bundestag, about 100 Australian members of Parliament including the Prime Minister and the opposition leader, the Canadian Parliament and the US Senate both unanimously passed resolutions calling for a moment of silence.
The International Olympic Committee has dropped the ball by its decision not to hold a moment of silence at the Olympic Games.
It’s about much more than a moment of silence. It should be obvious that the murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, at an event that is suppose to represent global competition in the spirit of sporting events, must never be forgotten.
Ankie Spitzer, the widow of murdered fencer Andrei Spitzer, had been reluctant to level any accusations against the IOC, but following its most recent refusals to grant a moment of silence, she has leveled the charge of discrimination. She noted that two years ago at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, luge track slider Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training accident and that there was a moment of silence at the opening of the Olympic Games, as well as speeches and condolences sent. “What’s the problem?” she asked the London Jewish Chronicle. “Is it because the Munich athletes were Israelis and Jews? I can only come to that conclusion.” Ms. Spitzer also stated that for many years the IOC has told her that the Arab nations would object to a memorial event.
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