President
International Olympic Committee
Route de Vidy 9
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland
Dear Dr Rogge,
At the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, 11 members of the Israeli team were murdered. For
40 years, their families have asked the International Olympic Committee to observe a minute
of silence, in their memory.
We are asking for one minute of silence for the memory of the 11 Israeli athletes, coaches
and referees murdered at the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich. Just one minute – at the
2012 London Summer Olympics and at every Olympic Games, to promote peace.
These men were sons, fathers, uncles, brothers, friends, teammates and athletes. They came
to Munich in 1972 to play as athletes in the Olympics; they came in peace and went home in
coffins, killed in the Olympic Village and during hostage negotiations.
The families of the Munich 11 have worked for four decades to obtain recognition of the
Munich massacre from the International Olympic Committee. Repeatedly, these requests have
been turned down. The 11 murdered athletes were members of the Olympic family and
should be remembered within the framework of the Olympic Games.
Silence is a fitting tribute for athletes who lost their lives on the Olympic stage. Silence
contains no statements, assumptions or beliefs and requires no understanding of language to
interpret.
We have no political or religious agenda. Just the hope that those who went to the
Olympics in peace, friendship and sportsmanship are given what they deserve. One minute of
silence will clearly say to the world that what happened in 1972 can never happen again.
Please do not let history repeat itself.
For those who were killed, we must remember that the doctrine of the Olympic spirit – “to
build a peaceful and better world which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of
friendship, solidarity and fair play” – is more powerful than politics.
Forty years is long enough to wait.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Renaud Sarda
State: Scotland, UK
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