From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Memorial ceremony held in Paris for the 11 Israelis murdered at 1972 Munich Olympics
Amy Spiro is a reporter and writer with The Times of Israel
Speaking at a memorial ceremony in Paris for the 11 Israelis murdered in a Palestinian terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Olympic chief Thomas Bach says the Games are proof that even in dark times, the world can still come together through sport.
“Some may consider this naive, but in our world torn apart by the far too many wars and conflicts, the Olympic Games prove that we can still bring the entire world together,” says Bach during the ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Paris.
“The athletes are living this culture of peace right here in Paris,” says Bach. “Athletes from National Olympic Committees whose countries are currently in war or conflict with each other are living peacefully together under one roof in the Olympic Village. This culture of peace was, is and always will be at the heart of our Olympic community.”
Yael Arad, president of the Olympic Committee of Israel, says that the presence of 88 Israeli athletes at the Paris Games 52 years after Munich sends a message: “We are here. Israeli sport was not destroyed. Terror did not win.”
And in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack, Arad says, “the fact that we are present here today… proves the stamina of the Israeli athletes and the resilience of the Israeli society.” These days, she says, “it is not easy to be an Israeli athlete in the international arena… to cope with threats, the concern of our loved ones back home.”
She thanks Bach and Olympic and French officials for the “warm, embracing hospitality shown to us and to our delegation,” and says that they have “spared no effort to welcoming us safely and in good spirits.”
