Terrorism In The Olympics Essay -- essays research papers

Terrorism and Security in the Olympics Security is a fundamental notion in sports. Nowadays athletes are viewed often through the media, therefore they are recognizable. In the Olympics security measures must be taken to protect the athletes. There are many different nationalities involved therefore security has to be taken in order to ensure that there aren’t conflicting views that could possibly be damaging towards another team. But quite often it cannot be prevented. On the morning of September 5, 1972, the members of the Israeli delegation awoke in their quarters in the Olympic village to the desperate cries of wrestling referee Joseph Gottfreund. Eight Arab commandos (from the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September) broke into the Olympic compound in Munich. In an attempt to create time for an escape, Joseph Gottfreund tried to block off the door to the quarters in order to stall the intruders. He told his colleagues to leave the premises. The terrorist shot and killed him immediately along with Yaakov Springer, the weightlifting referee. Those in the adjoining apartments who were not woken by the muffled cries were woken from the sounds of machine guns. The commandos then took nine others of the eighteen-member Israeli Olympic team hostage. They then settled into the compound for a siege. The terrorists imprisoned and tied up the athletes and their coaches inside the apartments. They were moved into one of the delegates’ roo m where they were guarded by eight of the terrorists. Their weapons included sub-machine guns, pistols and grenades. Moshe Weinberg, a wrestling referee, and Joseph Romano, a weightlifter, were killed during an effort to free themselves from the terrorists. Their reasons for holding the Israelis hostage were that they wanted to persuade the release of two hundred Arab guerrillas that were being held in Israel. The terrorists demanded that the prisoners be flown from Israel to an Arab country, allowing them free passage. West German officials negotiated with the Arab commandos with the help of the Tunisian Ambassador and the representative of the Arab League from Bonn. But unfortunately, this has no effect on what the commandos were trying to accomplish. Their demands were unreasonable, and the Israeli side would not budge from its views. In an attempt to save some of the Israeli hostages, two West German ministers of... ...t thousands of innocent persons gathered at the Olympic Park,† said the director of the FBI. Once again, another Olympics are squandered in the shadow of terrorism. The bombing at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta was not the first time an Olympic Games had been disrupted by terrorism. The Munich disaster had happened in 1972. The lasting images of those Olympic Games are that of a terrorist in a ski mask, and not an athlete in triumph. In contrast to the Atlanta blast, the bomb was placed in an unsecured public area while the Munich attack involved penetrated security and was aimed at the athletes themselves and the nation they represented. Munich’s attack though has prevented other similar situations from happening. Since 1972, the general public has submitted to security searches in airports, arenas and other public events. Living with the possibility of terrorism has made everyone just a little bit more aware of what could happen. With a society as violent as the one existing now, the Olympics are fortunate that they have only been threatened with terrorism twice. But if society keeps progressing the way it is right now, terrorism in more sporting events will be inevitable Terrorism In The Olympics Essay -- essays research papers Terrorism and Security in the Olympics Security is a fundamental notion in sports. Nowadays athletes are viewed often through the media, therefore they are recognizable. In the Olympics security measures must be taken to protect the athletes. There are many different nationalities involved therefore security has to be taken in order to ensure that there aren’t conflicting views that could possibly be damaging towards another team. But quite often it cannot be prevented. On the morning of September 5, 1972, the members of the Israeli delegation awoke in their quarters in the Olympic village to the desperate cries of wrestling referee Joseph Gottfreund. Eight Arab commandos (from the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September) broke into the Olympic compound in Munich. In an attempt to create time for an escape, Joseph Gottfreund tried to block off the door to the quarters in order to stall the intruders. He told his colleagues to leave the premises. The terrorist shot and killed him immediately along with Yaakov Springer, the weightlifting referee. Those in the adjoining apartments who were not woken by the muffled cries were woken from the sounds of machine guns. The commandos then took nine others of the eighteen-member Israeli Olympic team hostage. They then settled into the compound for a siege. The terrorists imprisoned and tied up the athletes and their coaches inside the apartments. They were moved into one of the delegates’ roo m where they were guarded by eight of the terrorists. Their weapons included sub-machine guns, pistols and grenades. Moshe Weinberg, a wrestling referee, and Joseph Romano, a weightlifter, were killed during an effort to free themselves from the terrorists. Their reasons for holding the Israelis hostage were that they wanted to persuade the release of two hundred Arab guerrillas that were being held in Israel. The terrorists demanded that the prisoners be flown from Israel to an Arab country, allowing them free passage. West German officials negotiated with the Arab commandos with the help of the Tunisian Ambassador and the representative of the Arab League from Bonn. But unfortunately, this has no effect on what the commandos were trying to accomplish. Their demands were unreasonable, and the Israeli side would not budge from its views. In an attempt to save some of the Israeli hostages, two West German ministers of... ...t thousands of innocent persons gathered at the Olympic Park,† said the director of the FBI. Once again, another Olympics are squandered in the shadow of terrorism. The bombing at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta was not the first time an Olympic Games had been disrupted by terrorism. The Munich disaster had happened in 1972. The lasting images of those Olympic Games are that of a terrorist in a ski mask, and not an athlete in triumph. In contrast to the Atlanta blast, the bomb was placed in an unsecured public area while the Munich attack involved penetrated security and was aimed at the athletes themselves and the nation they represented. Munich’s attack though has prevented other similar situations from happening. Since 1972, the general public has submitted to security searches in airports, arenas and other public events. Living with the possibility of terrorism has made everyone just a little bit more aware of what could happen. With a society as violent as the one existing now, the Olympics are fortunate that they have only been threatened with terrorism twice. But if society keeps progressing the way it is right now, terrorism in more sporting events will be inevitable