Why Not a Moment of Silence at the Olympics?

IOC head Jacques Rogge

"Hands are tied"


The 2012 London Olympics will be the 40th anniversary since Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes-the entire team- in Munich in 1972. Ever since, Ankie Spitzer, whose husband, Andre, was one of the victims, has tried unsuccessfully to get the International Olympic Committee to hold a moment of silence in honor of those victims. This year, she has a lot of support. Over one hundred thousand on-line petition signers, and even President Obama have supported the idea.

Yet, it will not happen.

In the past, former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch insisted that the Olympics woukl not get into "political issues"-even though they noted the Bosnian war in 1996 and 9-11 in 2002. The current International  Olympic Committee head, Jacques Rogge, has told Spitzer that his hands "have been tied" by 46 Muslim countries on the IOC. Instead, there will be a private commemoration away from the Olympic venue, and Rogge intends to hold his own "personal" moment.

Ms Spitzer refused to accept Rogge's excuses. She replied to him, "It was my husband whose hands were tied not yours."


Ankie Spitzer


Here is Rogge's position:

We feel that the Opening Ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic incident."


Of course not. After all, what did the 1972 massacre have to do with the Olympics?


NBC's veteran broadcaster Bob Costas has stated that he will observe the moment of silence himself, and will note the IOC's refusal to do so.

If you would like to sign the petition, you can by clicking here.