Photo credit: Courtesy of mcmillen.net
“Not at all,” said former Olympian Tom McMillen when asked in an interview with Hollywood on the Potomac about security fears in the 1972 Olympics and if there were concerns that the public was not aware of. “I believe 2 million was spent on security in Munich while 2 billion was spent in London. There were few security fears before Munich. Munich changed everything.” Indeed.
On This Day in History, “during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich in the early morning of September 5, a group of Palestinian terrorists storms the Olympic Village apartment of the Israeli athletes, killing two and taking nine others hostage. The terrorists were part of a group known as Black September, in return for the release of the hostages, they demanded that Israel release over 230 Arab prisoners being held in Israeli jails and two German terrorists. In an ensuing shootout at the Munich airport, the nine Israeli hostages were killed along with five terrorists and one West German policeman. Olympic competition was suspended for 24 hours to hold memorial services for the slain athletes.”
This article was first printed on February 8th, 2014.
Tom McMillen (left)
McMillen is a retired NBA professional basketball player, Rhodes Scholar and Democratic U.S. Congressman who represented the 4th congressional district of Maryland from January 3, 1987 to January 3, 1993. He was also a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team that lost a controversial game to the Soviet Union. He is the author of Out of Bounds, a hard-hitting analysis of how the influence of money on sports is corrupting sports on all levels.
McMillen (second from right)
As the Olympics opened in Sochi to many fears and travesties, we wondered if McMillen was concerned about his safety after the Munich Massacre, a terrorist attack during the 1972 Olympics Games where eight Palestinian terrorists killed two members of the Israeli Olympic team and took nine others hostage. The situation was ended by a huge gunfight that left five of the terrorists and all of the nine hostages dead. Check out About.com for a detailed run down.
“We were concerned after the terrorist attack because there were rumors that bombs had been placed in the village and we all had concerns. There was discussion that the games might be canceled after the attacks.” The games went on.
We wondered if all the Sochi threats from toothpaste to Black widow bombers was media hype, simply overblown or valid. “Very valid,” responded McMillen. “The geography is full of factions and the transportation facilities are very vulnerable.”
So would he go, amid these threats if he were competing this time? “I would go but have concerns. I do have confidence that the US athletes will be protected and additional security will be provided by US personnel. I would be more concerned as a spectator,” he warned.
So stop worrying about the ‘whiskey’ colored tap water and unfinished hotel rooms all you spectators – pay attention to the important things and stay safe. This is one time you should play by the rules.
The US medals remain in a vault in Switzerland in protest.
