After viewing this weekend’s television coverage of the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, I was profoundly disturbed by three particular events.
The first occurred during the presentation of the history of the Olympics wherein a man ran the circumference of the stadium and broke through a ribbon for each year an Olympic game was held.
He dramatically fell down in 1916 when the Olympics were cancelled because of World War I. He struggled to his feet and began to run again, only to be jolted to another stop in 1939 when World War II once again halted the games.
Struck by the power of this portrayal, I waited in anticipation for the moment during his run when the 1972 games would be marked.
But, to no avail. No pause, no dramatic act, nothing. The fact that 11 members of Israel’s Olympic team were kidnapped and massacred during those games went altogether unnoticed.
The second disturbing occurrence took place as representatives of the world’s nations marched through the Olympic stadium, waving, with flags raised, in a show of national pride.
NBC announcers Katie Couric and Bob Kostas provided viewers with a running commentary on the countries, teams, and/or specific athletes as each team passed.
While the discussion for most of the teams focused on personal stories and anecdotal information, Israel proved to be the exception. No information was given on the athletes themselves; rather the focus was on the need for the additional security required for this team.
Nothing about any athlete, nothing about Israel’s participation this year. Only that the Olympic Committee and Greek security bans any team from having their own armed security.
While that might be interesting to some, it surely is not Israel’s issue alone nor should it have been raised at this point in time; it was time to celebrate the Olympians, to recognize their commitment to excellence, to pushing the human body to its limits.
Finally, I was astonished to see a Palestinian delegation to these games. There was no mention of the fact that there is no sovereign country called Palestine. There was no mention that the leadership of this entity still does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, continues it’s reign of terror in Israel and is still comprised of the same people responsible for the 1972 Munich massacre.
Isn’t it curious that the Olympic Committee is so careful as to the correct naming of Cote d’lvoire, and were so compassionate as to have North and South Korea enter holding hands, but weren’t so with Israel or her enemies.
Let’s put all this in perspective. Had 11 South Korean, Greek or Egyptian Olympians been murdered in 1972, would the opening act have looked different?
Why was no mention made anywhere during all of Katie and Bob’s banter about the security needs of ANY other team and is it Israel’s fault that it needs more security?
It wasn’t the Israelis who were responsible for the murder of any Olympians! And, finally, why was there no Israeli delegation in any Olympic event prior to 1948? Could it be because there was no established sovereign state of Israel at that time?
The double standard that is applied to Israel by the world community is appalling. The fact that the Olympics would so disgustingly allow for such portrayal is simply nauseating.
Oh, one final bit of information from Katie and Bob. A member of the Iranian Olympic judo team was paired in the first round of competition with an Israeli opponent. The Iranian refused to compete with an Israeli and was therefore disqualified.
To their credit, Olympic officials are now debating whether the entire Iranian judo team should be sanctioned for this action. I wonder, however, had an Israeli/Jew refused to wrestle an Arab/Muslim, would anything different be done?
What headlines would we be reading? What sanctions would be taken against Israel? What world outcry would there be?
Moshe Katz is a businessman, community activist and educator.
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