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Rogge holds Munich memorial, rules out official silence

July 23, 2012 12:44
Eleven Israelis and a West German policeman died at the 1972 Games

ByJennifer Lipman, Jennifer Lipman

1 min read

The president of the International Olympics committee has observed a silence in memory of the Israeli athletes murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the Munich Olympics.

Jacques Rogge, who has repeatedly refused calls to hold an official silence during the Games themselves, reportedly staged the memorial in the athletes' village on Monday morning.

Speaking to a crowd that included London mayor Boris Johnson, Lord Coe, chairman of the London Olympic organising committee and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, he said he wanted to honour the memory "of the 11 Israeli Olympians who shared the ideals that have brought us together in this beautiful Olympic village".

He said that IOC owed it to those Israelis who "came to Munich in the spirit of peace and solidarity" to keep the spirit of the Olympics alive "and to remember them".