United States Olympic hero Mark Spitz has raised the spectre of an American withdrawal from this summerâs Athens Games due to security concerns. Spitz, who won seven swimming golds at the 1972 Olympics in Munich when 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by terrorists, believes the US team is at this stage not certain to show up in Greece.
With ongoing conflicts involving the US in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as heightened terrorist fears since the events of September 11 2001, Spitz claims American politicians will still be keeping an open mind on whether to send a team to Athens. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: âWe are looking under the microscope at all the different terrorist acts and we know there is a high degree of probability that something could happen in Athens. Would that be political suicide to send a team there if you were the Bush administration?
âIf you were to yank the carpet out from under the American team and nothing happened, would that be because they are only after Americans? If that does happen in will happen in the 11th hour and 59th minute.
âI would say that about six months ago it was highly unlikely but each day as it goes on with current world affairs it becomes more probable than not that ongoing conversations will take place as to how important it is to put athletes in harms way.â
However, a spokesman for the US Olympic Committee said: âToday there is absolutely no consideration given to the notion our team will not be in Athens.â
| I would suggest that if the US team is attacked by an islamfascist group in Athens, the gloves will come off. We won't go nuclear, but a good 3/4 of this country will finally get it, and get mad. |
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