1972的慕尼黑奥运会原订于8月26日至9月10日举行。由于9月5日5名巴勒斯坦"黑九月"成员袭击奥运村的以色列选手，造成了流血事件，大会被迫停办一天，顺延至9月11日结束。这在奥运会史上是第一次。这一事件发生后，虽然大会仍于9月6日继续举行，但以色列及一些阿拉伯国家的代表因担心安全得不到保证，离开了慕尼黑。流血事件也引起了体育界人士的震惊，促使后来各届奥运会加强了安全保卫工作。

KEY FACTS

Opening date: 26 August 1972

Closing date:11 September 1972

The Host City: Munich (Germany)

Sports: 23

MUNICH  1972 Games of the XX Olympiad

The 1972 Munich Games were the largest yet, setting records in all categories, with 195 events and 7,173 athletes from 121 nations. They were supposed to celebrate peace and, for the first ten days, all did indeed go well. But in the early morning of 5 September, eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village, killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine more hostage.

In an ensuing battle, all nine Israeli hostages were killed, as were five of the terrorists and one policeman. The Olympics were suspended and a memorial service was held in the main stadium. In defiance of the terrorists, the International Olympic Committee ordered the competitions to resume after a pause of 34 hours. All other details about the Munich Games paled in significance, but it did have its highlights. Archery was reintroduced to the Olympic programme after a 52-year absence and handball after a 36-year absence. Whitewater (or slalom) canoeing was included for the first time.

The 1972 Games were also the first to have a named mascot: Waldi the dachshund. U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won an incredible seven gold medals to go with the two he had earned in 1968. Lasse Viren of Finland fell midway through the 10,000m final, but rose and set a world record to win the first of his four career gold medals. Freestyle wrestler Ivan Yarygin of Russia pinned all seven of his opponents en route to his first Olympic championship in the heavyweight division.

Do You Know? 官方宣誓从此开始

The officials took the Olympic Oath for the first time.