Olympics: Moment of silence for Munich massacre victims for the first time

During the 1972 Olympics, 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were murdered by eight Palestinian terrorists in Munich.

By TAL SPUNGIN, REUTERS
Members of Israeli sports organizations form a Guard of Honor in front of command cars bearing the bodies of victims of the Munich massacre during memorial services at Lod Airport (photo credit: GPO FLICKR/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Members of Israeli sports organizations form a Guard of Honor in front of command cars bearing the bodies of victims of the Munich massacre during memorial services at Lod Airport
(photo credit: GPO FLICKR/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
A moment of silence was observed in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics for the Israeli victims of the 1972 Munich massacre.
During the 1972 Olympics, 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were murdered by eight Palestinian terrorists in Munich.
This is the first time the victims were honored in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
The families of the 11 victims had long asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold a minute's silence at the opening ceremony, but had until Friday been turned down.
In 2012, the IOC rejected an international campaign in support of a moment of silence to honor the Munich massacre victims, with then IOC President Jacques Rogge calling it "inappropriate." 
Two days prior to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, a special ceremony held by Brazilian and Israeli officials honored the Israelis murdered in Munich.
The moment of silence was also held in honor of COVID-19 victims all around the world.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted on Friday, expressing his gratitude to Japan.

The widows of two of the murdered athletes, Ilana Romano and Anki Spitzer, said: "We finally have justice for the husbands, sons and fathers that were murdered in Munich."

Footage of the moment of silence from the opening ceremony can be watched below:




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