24 Jul 2012

Slain Munich athletes remembered at Games village

6:19 am on 24 July 2012

The International Olympic Committee has paid a surprise tribute to the 11 Israeli team members who were killed by Palestinian gunmen at the 1972 Munich Games, marking the event for the first time in an Olympic village.

A minute's silence was observed after a speech by the IOC president Jacques Rogge, who competed at the yachting regatta at the Munich games.

Among those at the ceremony were London Olympic organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe, London Mayor Boris Johnson, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt and several IOC officials.

The IOC has never marked the event at any of the previous Games athletes' villages.

Mr Rogge, who on Saturday ruled out marking the 40th anniversary of the Munich massacre at the opening ceremony of the London Games, said the 11 deserved to be remembered.

Family members of the athletes, coaches and officials who were killed have tried for four decades to persuade the IOC to organise an official commemoration.