Forty Years Since Munich 1972

Today (Sept. 5) marks the 40th anniversary of the Olympic Movement's darkest day. And today in Germany survivors of the Black September attack on the Munich Olympic Village gathered for a day of remembrance and contemplation.

I've studied the events of Sept. 5, 1972, several times, starting with a college journalism term paper reviewing The New York Times' coverage of the Munich Massacre the following day. Also read the many books, reports and commentaries on the attack, screened "One Day In September" (the Oscar-winning documentary film), and recall vividly Bob Costas' commentary in 1992 in an NBC Sports special (aired during the Barcelona 1992 Games) for the 20th anniversary.

Of course there's also Steven Spielberg's "Munich" remake of the film "Sword of Gidion" about Israel's response to Munich.

Also, a couple of years ago through a work sabbatical, I spent several days living in a hotel at the Munich Olympic Park, just steps away from ground zero from that day in the Olympic Village. I've walked in the steps of the victims and their attackers, filmed the monuments built to commemorate those lost, and given a bit of thought to the recent brouhaha during London 2012 and the decision of the International Olympic Committee to share a moment of silence at an Olympic Village ceremony in lieu of a moment during the London 2012 Opening Ceremony. Here's my take on things.

Prior to the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, I agreed with the IOC -- rather than Bob Costas and the victims' families -- that the Opening Ceremony did not seem an appropriate time nor place for a moment of silence.

But then the LOCOG organizers did something I did not expect. During the 2012 Opening, they aired with IOC approval a video commemorating Olympic Family members lost in recent months (as I understand it, the video featured head shots of some folks lost in the Sept. 7, 2005, attacks in London). The video was brief, tasteful, easy to understand. In the stadium that night, I remember thinking "Why didn't they just put the Munich victims in this video, too?" Sort of like a moment of silence by a family around the table at a Thanksgiving meal -- a toast to those worthy of being remembered.

And I think LOCOG stumbled onto a potential 2012 Olympic legacy that could also help the IOC appease the Munich family survivors.

My mind was changed. I think every future Olympic Opening Ceremony should include a moment of silence for Olympic Family members lost during the Olympiad preceding the Games (or any Olympic Family member lost any time for any reason). Had this been accomplished for London 2012, the IOC could have commemorated Juan Antonio Samaranch (who died during the current Olympiad) in a brief, tasteful manner, and they could have included the Munich victims.

By permanently adding the "Olympic Family Moment of Remembrance" to each Opening Ceremony, it would air much like the Academy Awards video tribute to Oscar winners lost in the prior year leading to the broadcast.

A new tradition? A new legacy of 2012? Only time will tell. I know in all my future Olympiads the events of Munich will remain on the brain for myself and for millions who will always remember that one day in September.

Photo via this link

More Olympic Acronyms Coming Soon

There's a running joke, or trend, or something (can't put finger on how the right noun) from one Olympic organizing committee (OOC) to the next.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) or other National Olympic Committees (NOCs), international federations (IFs) and even the global TOP Olympic sponsors have TMAs -- Too Many Acronyms.

According to the AP -- that's the Associated Press -- and ATR (Around The Rings), two more acronyms are signing up for five-ringed status this week: BMW and P&G.

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG was not a big surprise. After all, BMW provided hundreds of gorgeous new cars used by the NOCs staying at the Atlanta OLV (Olympic Village, where their global CEO -- chief executive officer -- presented me a sweet BMW sponsor pin).

Also, BMW's global showcase BMW Museum in Munich is nestled between the 1972 Olympic Village and Olympiapark (if you haven't seen these three sites, they are worth a round trip flight no matter where you live, and you need at least three days to see them all).

Proctor & Gamble. Well, they aren't exactly a surprise either. In Vancouver they had a broad range of engagement underway, and a lot of their product found its way onto The Colbert Report post-Games. What surprised me is their likely announcement of TOP global sponsor status so close to Dow Chemical's IOC sponsor announcement. But then, Tuesday, July 27, marks the two-years-to-London 2012 milestone, so the timing is right.

What other brands do you want to see in the OAS (Olympic Acronym Scene)?

TTYL.

Photo via this Flickr account

Olympics May Link Rings to Golf

Hello from Germany! Posting from the Four Points Sheraton at Munich´s Olympic Village (the hotel was literally part of the 1972 Olympic Village) across the highway from the Munich OlympiaPark, which includes the spectacular Olympic Stadium, Olympic Tower (still coming to türms as I see it each morning) and the big pool where Mark Spitz made history. Olympic history overload, actually (more to come in future posts).

Just wanted to get a few links up from today´s International Olympic Committee announcement of some potential sports to be added to the Olympic program, including GOLF! The announcement was made at IOC meetings in Berlin (what the heck am I doing in Munich?!).

Here is the IOC press release, and here is a USA Today news article by Jerry Potter that sums up the story nicely with some remarks on Olympic golf from Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington.

This isn´t the first time golf has been up for Olympic consideration (as noted in Potter´s article, golf was on the 1904 Olympic roster in St. Louis).

As I recall, there was much ado about the Atlanta Games (and Billy Payne, specifically -- former ACOG founder turned Augusta National leader post-1996) trying to add golf to the Olympic programme (when I was working on the ACOG archive in 1997, I recall taking a few practice swings with an ACOG-produced golf club infused with the Olympic rings -- guessing that golf club remains in a vault somewhere, or in Billy Payne´s office).

Rugby is also up for consideration, like golf, for the 2016 Olympic Games.

More to come from Munich, and from Lausanne (heading there this weekend). Auf Wiedersehen!

Photo via www.GolfCanada.com and this article by Chris Traber.