Just One Minute

There, almost time for the greatest show on Earth to commence.  London is prepared.  Or not.  Security is not assured.  Despite which the show will go on, must go on.  Thoughts should not linger overmuch on the potential of leaving themselves open for some kind of atrocious attack simply because they choose, all those prospective visitors to London for the Summer Olympics 2012, to be present, and not victims of some grisly plot.

London is rife with the presence of the country's military, called in to do their duty in the unfortunate absence of an expensive, but failed security apparatus.  The world's elite athletes are present and accounted for.  They are set to do their utmost on behalf of their country's pride in the athletic abilities of their young, talented athletes, reflecting glory in the achievement of their athletic prowess.

The Olympic Games is a venue for coming together and celebrating the precise and the perfect, the selection of outstanding, world-class athletes for recognition in gold, silver and bronze - and the playing of national anthems, and wrapping oneself in flags.  Nightmare scenarios of terrorists importing their hatred and bile into an atmosphere of general excitement and applause merely represent the caution of fear and suspicion.

Of course the slaughter that occurred during the 1972 Munich Olympics was an unfortunate aberration.

The conflict between countries, religions, ideologies and territorial imperatives that precipitated that dreadful act of infamy is still resonant, to be sure, but the world is prepared, Britain is prepared to counter any such possible plans to repeat such an atrocity.  Never fear.  We hope.

Jewish community in Munich protesting after the murders of the Israeli athletes, demanding the Games be halted, 1972. Photo by AP

The International Olympic Committee remained adamant.  It could not see its way clear to responding to the appeal of 100,000 signatures requesting an official 'minute of silence' in honour of the eleven Israeli athletes who were murdered by members of Palestinian Black September.  It just wasn't the right thing to do, they declared.  Some heads of state thought otherwise.  Many sports groups did, as well.

All the appeals from various sources for the IOC to remember the event with an official minute of silence was to no avail.  The 40 years that have passed saw the wives of the dead athletes approaching the IOC every four years to have them reconsider their refusal to observe a minute of silence.  It never seemed like too much to ask.  But it might prove embarrassing for example, to the Palestinian athletes present.

It's doubtful that any Arab country ever recommended that a minute of silence be observed in a display of neutral humanity.  In any event, although everyone had given up hope that anything would make a difference in changing their mind, the IOC did in fact, do a turnabout.  There was a minute of silence observed after all, following the comments of Jacques Rogge:

"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."

Well said, and gratefully accepted.  And we hope there will never be another occasion to mourn the death of fine young athletes wherever they emerge from, whichever country they represent.  Even though, as Mr. Rogge added, sport could unite, but not solve the problems of the world.