Olympics: Israelis killed at 1972 Munich Games remembered in opening ceremony 49 years on| OlympicsFile photo: A member of the Arab Commando group which seized members of the Israeli Olympic Team at their quarters at the Munich Olympic Village, appears with a hood over his face on the balcony of the village building where the commandos held members of the Israeli team hostage. Being an Olympics like no other [AP]Israeli Olympic team members killed by Palestinian gunmen at the 1972 Munich Olympics were remembered during the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony on Friday with a moment of silence, the first time in 49 years this has happened. The families of the 11 victims had long asked the International Olympic Committee to hold a minute's silence at a Games opening ceremony, but had until Friday been turned down. On Sept. 5, 1972, members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage at the poorly secured athletes’ village by Palestinian gunmen from the Black September group. "The Tokyo Olympics have just opened, but they are already a historic Olympics - after 49 years, on the main stage, at the opening ceremony, the 11 heroes, the victims of the Munich Olympics, were mentioned," said Hili Tropper, Israel's minister of culture and sport.

Source: Standard Digital July 24, 2021 17:21 UTC