Future Olympic Games
One of the questions raised by this tragic event was whether or not the Olympic flame should be extinguished for good. Although for the first time in history, the games were suspended in order to hold a memorial service for the slain Israeli athletes, eventually, the games did continue. Only a small handful of athletes left the games on account of the murders. And four years later at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, the Israeli team commemorated the massacre by entering the stadium during the Opening Ceremony, carrying their national flag adorned with a black ribbon.
The Munich tragedy was a pivotal event regarding global terrorism, which has hung over every subsequent Olympics. It is the reason security budgets have increased dramatically. In 1972, Germany had 2,140 police and other law enforcement officers employed during the Munich games, whereas in contrast, the London games in 2012 had a security force of 23,700. The Atlanta games held in 1996 boasted that security was the largest budget item of the entire event. Prior to the start of the 2004 games in Athens, authorities rounded up and incarcerated political activists and Muslims they considered questionable and in 2008, approximately 100,000 soldiers stood guard over the Olympic city in Beijing.
In preparation for hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, Russia established a special security zone in Sochi that runs 60 miles along the coast of the Black Sea and 25 miles inland. Entrance was restricted to residents, workers and ticket holders, all of whom had to be screened in advance. In addition, Russian troops patrolled the surrounding mountain, drones protected the skies, and speedboats guarded the sea.
These extraordinary measures were intended to protect all visitors to the games but members of the Israeli national team were watched with particular care and underwent a very extensive security briefing, so they would know exactly what to do and what not to do. Israeli security service protecting the Israeli delegation in Sochi said they worked closely with the Russians to prevent any violence.
It is clear that the Olympics will continue as part of a great and glorious tradition that must be preserved. If the darkest day in Olympic history, the morning of September 5, 1972 didn’t put a stop to them, then nothing ever will.
The Munich tragedy was a pivotal event regarding global terrorism, which has hung over every subsequent Olympics. It is the reason security budgets have increased dramatically. In 1972, Germany had 2,140 police and other law enforcement officers employed during the Munich games, whereas in contrast, the London games in 2012 had a security force of 23,700. The Atlanta games held in 1996 boasted that security was the largest budget item of the entire event. Prior to the start of the 2004 games in Athens, authorities rounded up and incarcerated political activists and Muslims they considered questionable and in 2008, approximately 100,000 soldiers stood guard over the Olympic city in Beijing.
In preparation for hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, Russia established a special security zone in Sochi that runs 60 miles along the coast of the Black Sea and 25 miles inland. Entrance was restricted to residents, workers and ticket holders, all of whom had to be screened in advance. In addition, Russian troops patrolled the surrounding mountain, drones protected the skies, and speedboats guarded the sea.
These extraordinary measures were intended to protect all visitors to the games but members of the Israeli national team were watched with particular care and underwent a very extensive security briefing, so they would know exactly what to do and what not to do. Israeli security service protecting the Israeli delegation in Sochi said they worked closely with the Russians to prevent any violence.
It is clear that the Olympics will continue as part of a great and glorious tradition that must be preserved. If the darkest day in Olympic history, the morning of September 5, 1972 didn’t put a stop to them, then nothing ever will.