With the 2012 Olympic Games just over a week away, Bob Costas has joined the chorus of lawmakers and organizations who have come out against the International Olympic Committee’s refusal to hold a moment of silence for the 40th anniversary of the Munich Olympics. Israel, which formally requested a moment of silence for its 11 slain athletes and coaches in the spring, has been joined by lawmakers in the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Australia who have voiced support for the symbolic observance.
However, Costas may hold the most weight of all. As the sportscaster who will handling the broadcasting duties for NBC during the opening ceremony, Costas is poised to frame the moment (and its injustice) within its proper context. As Costas explained to The Hollywood Reporter, he plans to do just that:
“I intend to note that the IOC denied the request. Many people find that denial more than puzzling but insensitive. Here’s a minute of silence right now.”
As Deborah Lipstadt noted in her excellent piece on Tuesday:
In the years since, the families of the victims have repeatedly told the IOC that all they want is a chance to mark the murder of athletes who had traveled to the games to do precisely what athletes do: compete at their very best. These victims deserved to be remembered by the very organization that had brought them to Munich.
