The 1972 USA Olympic Basketball Team continues to refuse Silver Medal amidst
Being Robbed of the Gold 50 years ago In Munich.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Many would consider the 1972 Olympic basketball game to be the greatest
injustice in Olympic history. The match for the gold took place just about 30
years after the United States\u2019 WW2 victory, a lot of bad blood still filled the
air between the USA and the Soviet Union in which the animosity spilled over in
this controversial game.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0\u201cThose medals are going to be in Lausanne, Switzerland, for a thousand
years from now,\u201d stated a former player for the 1972 USA Olympic Team. Why is
that though? What could have gone so wrong that the team still refuses to
accept its loss to the Soviets and collect their medals even 50 years
later?\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Washington Post reported that despite everything going on at the time,
the game wasn\u2019t expected to cause any drama. Days before the game Palestinian
militants executed 11 athletes and coaches at the Munich Olympic Village. They
also reported that Avery Brundage, International Olympic Committee president,
stated that the games must go on despite uncertainty by Team USA members.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A win over Italy in the semi-final game gave Team USA their 63rd<\/sup> The final 6 seconds of the US-Soviet game were what made this whole Sports Illustrated reported that an illegal timeout was taken by the Soviets The game should have been over, but the refs gave the Soviets another chance <\/p>\n After protesting the outcome of the game, Team USA was outvoted 3-2 by other <\/p>\n \u201cThe Americans have to learn how to lose, even when they think they are After fifty years, the team still stands on their beliefs about the game \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate because that\u2019s exactly what the I.O.C. wants. Our medals Many of the players from Team USA remain bitter about the situation to this Others from the team are still having a rough time getting over being Even Brewer, who was injured during the game and arguably feels the most The members of the 1972 Team USA still have a soft spot in their hearts for what went down that year, but all in all the players were all able to move on from the situation of some sort. To this day Team USA still won\u2019t accept their silver medals, though. That\u2019s something that they will never be able to sit well with.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n\n https:\/\/vault.si.com\/vault\/1992\/06\/15\/robbed-of-gold-medals-in-munich-the-72-us-olympic-basketball-team-will-not-betray-its-principles-for-a-few-pieces-of-silver<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
consecutive win, setting them up to face the Soviets in the final for the gold
medal.<\/p>\n
controversy. Sports Illustrated reported that Doug Collins of Team USA was
fouled hard, nearly unconscious. Down 48-49, Collins sank two free throws to
give Team USA the lead at 50-49 with just 3 seconds on the clock.<\/p>\n
who ran on the court and demanded it from the refs. Following a missed violation,
the Soviets would get the ball and run the time out.<\/p>\n
after making invalid excuses for them. Another play was made, but it was
suggested that there was a clock malfunction, so the Soviets were given yet
another chance to win. With 3 seconds remaining on the clock, the Soviets ended
up cashing in on their third chance and won the game, robbing Team USA of a gold
medal.<\/p>\n
communist nations in Hungary, Poland, and Cuba which was reported by the
Washington Post.<\/p>\n
right,\u201d FIBA chief, Jones, stated to The Washington Post. Team USA was left
with an all or nothing acceptance for their silver medals meaning that the
whole team would have to accept them, or no one would receive anything.<\/p>\n
despite multiple opportunities to put it behind them and accept their medals.
As time continues to go on players on the team like Tom McMillen still hold
fears that the significance of the story is slowly being eroded by time. A
wrong never to be righted will very much soon be forgotten.<\/p>\n
sit in Lausanne, and there are going to be fewer of us around for the 60th<\/sup>
anniversary. History fades into the ether,\u201d McMillen says via New York Times.<\/p>\n
day, but some have taken something positive out of the ordeal. \u201cYou know what those
Olympics did? They made me grow up. They opened my eyes,\u201d Collins went on in an
interview years following the 1972 Olympics.<\/p>\n
cheated by the Soviets in the gold medal game. Jim Brewer, power forward for Team
USA, was violently injured by a Soviet player during the game and was unable to
return to the second half. Brewer expressed, \u201cThat night was the end of the
world for me. It never goes away. A lie is persistent. I was bitter for a long,
long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
emotional attachment to the 1972 Olympics out of all his former teammates, was
able to let go of some of the resentment that he had from that game. \u201cI came
upon some pictures of the guys on that team, and some letters from that time, I
just started crying\u2026I finally let it go that day,\u201d the former power forward
expressed emotionally.<\/p>\n