An Elegaic Moment

Sixty seconds' attention to an issue of currency, even though it occurred in 1972 doesn't seem like too much to ask for.  Since the dreadful assault against Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich, the International Olympic Committee has steadfastly refused to acknowledge in public that there is any moral obligation to remember the eleven dead athletes, assassinated by Black September members of Palestinian Fatah.

Moshe Weinberg, wrestling coach
Yossef Romano, Ze’ev Friedman and David Berger, weightlifters
Yakov Springer, weightlifting judge
Eliezer Halfin and Mark Slavin, wrestlers
Yossef Gutfreund, wrestling referee
Kehat Shorr, shooting coach
Andre Spitzer, fencing coach
Amitzur Shapira, track coach

It is obviously too political a matter to honour the memory of the dead, lest the delicate sensibilities of the living become inflamed with irritation at the reminder.  Yet it remains an issue of grave importance at each succeeding replay of the games that security be tight, to ensure that this type of atrocity, indeed any kind of violence does not re-occur. 

Chris Allison, Scotland Yard deputy commissioner of Metropolitan Police "Our aim is to make sure that sport takes centre stage.  This is a sporting event with a security overlay, it's not a security event in which a bit of sports gets played.  As to protests, our position remains very clear and simple.  The right to protest is a fundamental part of our democracy, though it is a conditional right.  You have to do it lawfully and peacefully, and it doesn't give you the right to stop the Games happening, it doesn't give you the right to stop an athlete who's trained four years to compete against the best in the world." 

The security plan for this London Summer Olympics was initiated and planned for a terrorism threat level of "severe".  It has since been downgraded to "substantial".

"I'm very satisfied that we're in a very good place.  We've done all the planning, we've looked at all the ways in which terrorists have attacked in the past and we've tried to make sure that none of those could get through our security measures."

Reassuring, that, is it not?

It is of primary importance that athletes, their hosts and their guests be safe from any potential new attempts to bring dread and death to the esteemed Olympics.  To that end, years of preparation and billions are spent to ensure safety and security.  One might think - and on the basis of past performances, one would be wrong - that the Olympic Committee would see the necessity to host a moment of rare remembrance in memory of a time that all went horribly awry.

A 40th anniversary remembrance would be timely at the Friday opening ceremonies.  Jacques Rogge went part way at the Athletes' Village with a heartfelt commemorative speech, in the presence of some 100 spectators.  It would be far more becomingly useful if he repeated his statement at the opening ceremonies before the gaze of millions of spectators watching the opening ceremonies from all over the world. 

One minute of time, recalling a tragedy that should never be forgotten.  The IOC cannot possibly avoid slighting the sensitive feelings of all those nations' representatives who are meeting in London.  The atrocity, particularly at a venue which the Olympics Committee stresses should bring people together, should be recalled on the basis of our common humanity.

To continue to evade the necessity to do so, simply points out the craven lack of empathy and the focus on celebration and sports elitism and the opportunity for the Olympics to continue to earn scandalous sums of money as the bottom line in this international event.  A petition of 100,000 signatures that includes 100 international heads of state urges recognition. 

The continued reluctance of the IOC to accede to these constant requests over the years simply places a self-inflicted blot on the reputation of the IOC.

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May their memory be a blessing: A list of the fallen Munich Olympics Israeli team members to read during the Summer Olympics and at Tisha b'Av. (Photos via Just One Minute)