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Hunt: Olympic silence none of my business

June 28, 2012 15:27
National flags fly at half-mast around the Olympic torch at the games in Munich, 1972, in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes killed by terrorists

By

Jessica Elgot,

Jessica Elgot

3 min read

Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has refused to back calls from the US Senate and the Australian, Canadian and German governments for a minute's silence at the 2012 London Olympics to remember the 11 Israelis murdered in Munich in 1972.

The widow of one of the Israeli athletes - murdered by five Palestinian terrorists - said London 2012's refusal to arrange a 40th anniversary memorial was "discrimination" based on their religion and nationality.

Ankie Spitzer, widow of murdered fencer Andrei Spitzer, said that she had been reluctant to accuse the International Olympic Committee (IOC) directly of discrimination.

But this week she told the JC: "Now, I call it by its name: it's discrimination in my opinion. There have been other memorials at the opening ceremony, it has been done before.Two years ago, before the Vancouver Winter Olympics, athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training accident.