1972 Summer Olympics
See also: 1972 Summer Paralympics
The Games of the XX Olympiad were held in 1972 in Munich, West Germany. In the bid to organise the Olympics, Detroit, Madrid and Montreal were beaten.
Highlights
- On September 5, Palestinian terrorists killed 2 Israeli athletes and took 9 hostage. After a failed rescue attempt, all hostages and all but three of terrorists were killed. For more, see Munich massacre.
- All Olympic events were suspended for one day after the terrorist action became known. They were continued a day later, although some athletes decided to leave Munich.
- Mark Spitz set seven World Records to win a record seven gold medals in one Olympics, bringing his total to nine.
- Lasse Virén of Finland won the 5000 and 10000 m (the latter after a fall), a feat he would repeat in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Olga Korbut, a tiny Soviet gymnast, became a star after failing to win the individual all-around after a fall, but winning two gold medals in the apparatus events.
- Valeri Borzov wins both the 100 m and 200 m on the track.
- Australian swimmer Shane Gould wins three gold medals and two silver.
- Handball (last held in 1936) and Archery (last held in 1920) return as Olympic sports after a long absence.
- White water canoeing is held for the first time at the Olympics.
- For the first time, the Olympic Oath is also taken by a representative of the referees.
- In basketball, the United States' Olympic winning streak, which started in 1936, was ended. The final game against the Soviet Union ended in a victory for the Russians, but was surrounded by controversy. The US complained that the clock had been improperly restarted at the end of the game and refused to accept the Silver Medal.
- On September 11, a small plane was stolen in Stuttgart and authorities received information that Arab terrorists were planning to drop a bomb on the final ceremonies. IOC officials and Chancellor Willy Brandt, who were attending the ceremonies, were informed. Defense minister Georg Leber had two fighter planes follow the stolen plane, with the intent of shooting it down should it approach Munich. Radar contact to the plane was lost. A short while later, radar contact to an unknown plane was established, but it turned out to be a civilian passenger aircraft. The stolen plane was never found.
- Badminton and Water Ski are the demo sports.
Medals awarded
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
Medal count
| Pos | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
References
Internal links
External links
Bibliography
Summer Olympics
1896 | 1900 | 1904 | 1906 | 1908 | 1912 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012
Winter Olympics
1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1994 | 1998 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010
Referenced By
1896 Olympic Summer Games | 1896 Summer Olympics | 1900 Summer Olympics | 1904 Summer Olympics | 1906 Summer Olympics | 1908 Summer Olympics | 1912 Olympic Games | 1912 Summer Olympics | 1920 Summer Olympics | 1924 Olympic Winter Games | 1924 Summer Olympics | 1924 Winter Olympic Games | 1924 Winter Olympics | 1928 Summer Olympics | 1928 Winter Olympic Games | 1928 Winter Olympics | 1932 Summer Olympic Games | 1932 Summer Olympics | 1932 Winter Games | 1932 Winter Olympic Games | 1932 Winter Olympics | 1936 Berlin Games | 1936 Summer Olympic Games | 1936 Summer Olympics | 1936 Winter Olympic | 1936 Winter Olympic Games | 1936 Winter Olympics | 1948 Summer Olympic Games | 1948 Summer Olympics | 1948 Winter Olympic Games | 1948 Winter Olympics | 1952 Summer Olympics | 1952 Winter Olympic Games | 1952 Winter Olympics | 1956 Summer Olympics | 1956 Winter Olympic Games | 1956 Winter Olympics | 1960 Summer Olympics | 1960 Winter Olympic Games | 1960 Winter Olympics | 1964 Summer Olympics | 1964 Winter Olympic Games | 1964 Winter Olympics | 1968 Olympic Games | 1968 Summer Olympics | 1968 Winter Olympic Games | 1968 Winter Olympics | 1972 | 1972 Olympics | 1972 Summer Paralympics | 1972 Winter Olympic Games | 1972 Winter Olympics | 1976 Summer Olympics | 1976 Winter Olympic Games | 1976 Winter Olympics | 1980 Summer Olympics | 1980 Winter Olympic Games | 1980 Winter Olympics | 1984 Summer Olympics | 1984 Winter Olympic Games | 1984 Winter Olympics | 1988 Summer Olympic Games | 1988 Summer Olympics | 1988 Winter Olympic Games | 1988 Winter Olympics | 1992 Summer Olympics | 1992 Winter Olympic Games | 1992 Winter Olympics | 1994 Winter Olympic Games | 1994 Winter Olympics | 1996 Olympics | 1996 Summer Olympic Games | 1996 Summer Olympics | 1998 Winter Olympic Games | 1998 Winter Olympics | 2000 Summer Olympics | 2002 Olympic Winter Games | 2002 Winter Olympic Games | 2002 Winter Olympics | 2004 Summer Olympics | 2006 Winter Olympics | 2008 Summer Olympics | 2010 Olympic Winter Games | 2010 Winter Games | 2010 Winter Olympics | 2012 Summer Olympics | 26 August | 26th August | 4 September | 4th September | ACOG | Alberto Juantorena | Annegret Irrgang | Annegret Richter | Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games | Atlanta Olympic Committee | Atlanta Olympics | Augsburg | Augsburg, Germany | August 26 ...
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