The Olympic Games, a grand stage where athletic prowess meets the spirit of international competition, have not been without their share of controversies.
Los sangrientos Juegos Olímpicos en Múnich de 1972 nvinoticias.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nvinoticias.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Munich Massacre
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In what became known as the Munich Massacre, eight terrorists wearing tracksuits and carrying gym bags filled with grenades and assault rifles, breached the Olympic Village at the Summer Games in Munich before dawn on September 5, 1972. The terrorists, associated with Black September, an extremist faction of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, entered the apartment complex where Israeli athletes were staying. Once inside, they murdered two members of the Israeli team and took nine others hostage. Audiences around the world then watched in horror as the international nightmare unfolded on live TV.
The terrorists demanded the release of 234 Arab prisoners from Israeli jails, as well as two German terrorists held in West German custody. When authorities attempted to rescue the hostages after a 23-hour standoff, all the hostages, one West German police officer and five Black September members were killed.