The Munich 1972 Olympics were brutally marked by the seizure and murder of Israeli athletes by the Black September group. That, inevitably, led to the classic quandary as far as the sporting activity was concerned - was it appropriate for the Games to go on, or not?

Among the many thousands of athletes caught in the middle of the Munich debacle was British sculler Ken Dwan, who vividly recalled the doubt and anxiety of that time in the Athletes Village, where the Israeli athletes were initially held in their apartment, as he spoke in the office of his shipping company on Eel Pie Island 40 years later.


"We used to walk from our apartment through the square to get to the restaurant. And the first thing we knew was we got up one morning and there were lots of armed people around and they had barricaded some of the apartments off and we had to walk round to get some food. And then we all had television in our rooms so obviously we picked up what was going on with the Israeli team.

"We were all watching what was happening on TV. And the people holding the athletes were watching what was happening on TV. It was madness.

"And the whole atmosphere of the Games - it put it into question. What is this really about? We are here to do a sport, and we've got this happening next door. It did knock the stuffing out of you. It knocked a lot of motivation out of you. You started to question, well, 'Is this really worth it?' And once they had shot the athletes, it was debateable. Was it worth racing or not? I know the feeling I had was 'all I want to do is go home.' But you were out there...

"They held a memorial service in the Olympic Stadium and I felt I had to go. I felt it was madness that it should come to that situation. It was a very emotional thing to be involved with. It was strange. We were there for a reason, in an Olympic Stadium with a torch burning, and it was all laid out like a church. We were all sat on chairs on the grass of the infield. You looked round and it was weird.

"Quite a few of my British teammates were there. The Games had stopped. The discussion was: what do we do with it now? And the powers that be decided it would be better to carry on, although the athletes were given the option of going home.

"The right decision was made I think to carry on with the Games. We didn't want it to stop - but it knocked a hole in it. From the party happy atmosphere of what an Olympics is - to be hit like that was strange. Everyone appreciated that 'there but for the grace of God' sort of thing...it was sombre."


The Munich Olympics offered the starkest and most painful example of the problem sport has in determining its proper place in the broader scheme of things. Down the years, those involved in sport have always striven to keep it separate, in a world unto itself. But sport is always being impinged upon by other factors, other forces.

In the footballing world, a similar debate is currently underway as to what the best response should be to the incursion of racism. This week the footballers of AC Milan walked off the pitch during their friendly match against Italian lower division club Pro Patria because of persistent racist chanting from a small section of the crowd directed at their black players.

Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng set the walk-off in motion halfway through the first half when he picked up the ball and kicked it into the crowd before removing his shirt and leaving the field of play, followed by players and officials. There had already been appeals on the public address system for the chanting to stop.

In the meantime, the majority of the crowd made their feelings of anger clear at the minority which had wrecked their entertainment in an incident characterised by the Italian Football Federation's (FIGC) President, Giancarlo Abete, as "unspeakable and intolerable".


Milan's coach, Massimiliano Allegri, commented: "We promise to return, and we are sorry for the club and players of Pro Patria, but we could not make any other decision. We hope it will be an important signal."

However, Milan's illustrious former player Clarence Seedorf was more cautious in his reaction to the walk-off. "I don't feel it's such a fabulous thing," he told the BBC. "These people will feel empowered now. They should just be identified and kicked out of the stadium."

UEFA's President, Michel Platini, made his position clear last year before the 2012 European Championship when he said that any player who walked off the pitch because of racist abuse would be booked.

As Boateng and other black players have to listen to the bigotry cascading down from the stands, Dwan's question looms again: Is this worth it?

Boateng and his teammates made their choice this week. But if it happens again – where do they go? To the touchline once again? You like to think there has to be another way, both for their sake and for the sport which gives them their living.

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, covered the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics as chief feature writer for insidethegames, having covered the previous five summer Games, and four winter Games, for The Independent. He has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, the Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian.

Her win was quickly followed by gold for Ireland's female boxing star Katie Taylor, who cemented celebrity status with a win over Russia's Sofya Ochigava at lightweight. America's Claressa Shields claimed the third and final women's Olympic boxing gold medal on offer at London 2012 with victory over Russia's Nadezda Torlopova to round off a truly memorable Olympic female boxing debut.

The atmosphere in ExCeL during women's gold medal bouts was truly electric, particularly during Taylor's match when half of Ireland had seeming managed to secure a ticket.

But as that historic session took place, one man was smiling more than any other in the crowd.

It was International Boxing Association (AIBA) President CK Wu.

It was Wu, in 2009, who spearheaded the movement to get women's boxing included on the Olympic programme despite tough opposition, even from within AIBA.

"It was a very proud moment for me to see women's boxing at the Olympics," Wu told me shortly after the Games with genuine warmth in his voice.

"They surprised everyone with their talent and the spectators were fully behind them which was one of the most pleasing things for me, even though that it what I predicted would happen."

AIBA President CK Wu spearheaded the movement to get women’s boxing onto the Olympic programme

The London 2012 boxing competition came just days after Wu secured a spot on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Executive Board – making a very good summer for him.

It was six years ago, in 2006, that the 66-year-old Taiwanese architect ousted Anwar Chowdhry of Pakistan to become AIBA President.

Under Chowdhry, corruption was rife across AIBA to the point where the sport's Olympic future looked in doubt. Wu's coup saw him narrowly oust the Pakistani, who had been in the role for 20 years, by 83 votes to 79.

Wu spent the majority of his first term "cleaning the house" as he often calls it; getting rid of the majority of Chowdhry's lieutenants and creating more of a transparent AIBA.

C K Wu ousted Anwar Chowdhry of Pakistan in 2006 to become AIBA President

He was re-elected in 2010, comfortably seeing off a disastrous challenge from England's Paul King, and now he has probably the best ever Olympic boxing competition under his belt.

Next in Wu's masterplan is to go toe-to-toe with the world of professional boxing.

This was outlined in 2010 when AIBA launched the World Series of Boxing (WSB) – the first professional boxing competition in the world that allows fighters to retain their Olympic eligibility.

That competition was given a major boost this year when Britain, officially the world's best Olympic boxing nation following London 2012, announced their intention to compete.

Given the title of the British Lionhearts, it has London 2012 Olympic silver medallists Fred Evans of Wales and John Joe Nevin of Ireland in its ranks and is currently making good progress. Rumours continue to circulate that Britain's reigning Olympic super heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, currently one of the hottest properties in boxing, is close to joining in what would be a major coup.

Britain’s reigning Olympic super heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is rumoured to be close to joining the WSB

But Joshua or no Joshua, the WSB is just the tip of the iceberg.

The latter part of 2013 will see the launch of AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) which will see boxers again fight professionally but retain their Olympic eligibility in a tournament that will link to the WSB.

What makes it a must for most nations is that the APB will offer 56 quota places for the Rio 2016 Olympics, with the WSB to offer a further 10 slots for the Games in Brazil.

By those next Olympics, AIBA will have removed headguards and vests from their competitions while the computer scoring system will be replaced by judges – meaning that it won't look "amateur" at all.

Indeed, that word "amateur" is set to become obsolete.

In a recent letter to all National Federations, Wu call on every single one to drop the term "amateur" in a move that signals the end of 132 years of history.

"In 2007, at the AIBA Extraordinary Congress held in Chicago, AIBA had already declared not to use the word of 'amateur' in the organisation any longer," says Wu's letter.

"Now, even further with the launch of APB, the concept of 'amateur boxing' will no longer exist. What was previously known as amateur boxing will, from now on, be known as 'AIBA Olympic Boxing' (AOB)."

The revolutionary move will affect the vast majority of National Federations, including the original governing body, the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE), who will now have to drop "Amateur" from their title, despite having been founded as the Amateur Boxing Association in 1880.

AIBA are changing the face of boxing through their professional programmes World Series of Boxing and AIBA Pro Boxing

From the outside things look to be moving a little fast, but there does appear to be real method.

I remember telling Wu, following an APB launch press conference, that he is likely to have death threats from the top professional promoters if he indeed manages to cut off their Olympic talent pool.

It was partly a joke.

But after explaining quite calmly that was unfazed, having actually received numerous death threats from Chowdhry supporters, he appeared to outline his reasoning.

"The professional promoters have sat back and taken the best Olympic talent for far too long, often not looking after that talent if things go wrong," he told me. "It is time that we fight back, and that we offer fighters a different, safer option after an Olympics."

It is a fair point.

I can't imagine that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) would have been too happy to lose Usain Bolt after he emerged as a global superstar at Beijing 2008, nor the International Swimming Federation (FINA) if they had Michael Phelps stolen after making a real name for himself at the same Games.

So 2013 will prove a big year for AIBA and boxing. And to be fair, boxing wouldn't be boxing without fighting both inside and outside the ropes.

Tom Degun is a reporter for insidethegames

I have never been a fan of UK Sport's uncompromising diktat which surely helps promote the sort of win-at-all-costs mentality that contravenes the spirit of sport, rewarding the already-haves rather than the have-nots.

Mo Farah was among the stars of London 2012 by becoming the first Briton to win the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles

When it mattered most, on the greatest stage of all, our athletes stepped up and delivered. And they did so in front of the most passionate, knowledgeable and enthusiastic sports fans in the world.

For Team GB and ParalympicsGB to have the honour of receiving the prestigious BBC Sports Personality 'Team of the Year' award last Sunday was a very fitting tribute to everyone involved.

First and foremost to the 541 athletes from 26 diverse sports, who have relentlessly dedicated and sacrificed so much in pursuit of their goal of competing for Team GB at the Olympic Games.

Secondly to the coaches, training partners, medical personnel and other support staff who devote themselves day-in day-out to giving our athletes the very best chance of achieving their personal best.

It was a momentous Games for teenager Ellie Simmonds who won two gold medals during the London 2012 Paralympics

Finally, to our valued and trusted partners at the National Governing Bodies, UK Sport, Government and our Corporate Sponsors, who all worked together in a spirit of collaboration to reach a shared goal of making certain the athletes of Team GB had the very best opportunity for success at London 2012.

On a personal note, 2012 has certainly been the most exciting, challenging and ultimately fulfilling of my life in leading Team GB at a Home Games. There are simply too many highlights and too many firsts to mention, but this is a year that I know I will look back on with real pride, as I simply don't think we could have done anything more at the British Olympic Association (BOA) to provide a better platform for Team GB athletes at the London 2012 Games.

In keeping with the BOA motto of "Better Never Stops", we are already moving ahead full steam with our planning and preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and of course the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, which are now just 14 months away.

Sitting in his spotlessly clean yet surprisingly sparse office on the 37th floor of the downtown Doha building that houses both the burgeoning numbers of recruited 2022 World Cup staff and the Qatar Football Federation, Al-Thawadi concedes the criticism has been painful.

Al-Thawadi remains bemused by the scale of the backlash Qatar 2020 has received

Qatar may have spent big to get their message across and made mistakes along the way. But never having been proved to break any FIFA rules, Al-Thawadi remains bemused by the scale of the backlash and the number of misconceptions.

"There is no doubt the hurt is always going to be there," he explained.

"I welcome constructive criticism because, guess what, nobody's perfect.

"South Africa in 2010 was a great success on so many levels yet wasn't perfect.

"But if it's not constructive criticism all you can do is look at the glass as half full.

"I am learning about the school of hard knocks but all I am interested now is the future."

FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke's infamous leaked email suggesting last year that Qatar bought the World Cup set the ball rolling in terms of raising obvious questions over the bidding process and hardly helped the tiny Gulf state's cause.

Valcke's untimely comments were construed in different ways, however, with many seasoned observers reasoning that what he actually meant was that Qatar's huge marketing spend gave it a natural advantage over other 2022 contenders.

"You can look at virtually anything and draw inferences," Al-Thawadi argues.

"It's like the parody where six blind men are walking round an elephant and are asked to describe it. The point is, we know what we are doing and nothing will stop us. We have to keep our eyes on the ball. The minute we don't, people will say we can't deliver."

Qatar were announced as the 2022 World Cup hosts in December 2010, becoming the first Arab, Middle Eastern or Muslim country to be awarded the right 

Despite the continuing picking away at Qatar's tactics, Al-Thawadi is determined to leave all the ill-feeling and negativity behind, however many times in the next few years the nation-building vision might take a hit.

Whether he likes it or not, however, the heat issue is unlikely to just disappear. Amid the growing clamour to switch the World Cup to the winter months, Al-Thawadi explains his personal thinking. "Look, it's very simple. We bid as a summer World Cup with cooling technology, [But] if the pillars of the football community come back to us and tell us winter or otherwise...then we will listen.

"But make no mistake, the cooling technology is a legacy concept. It opens up two thirds of the world to being able to enjoy their summers. Right now, the plan is still to hold the tournament in summer."

While the searing desert heat remains the main focus of the opposition camp, size comes a close second. The furthest distance between stadiums at 2022 is likely to be around 70 kilometres but Al-Thawadi doesn't see that as an issue either. The Olympics, he points out, stages 26 sports in one city. So, he argues, in the same way Qatar – half the size of Wales – will cope with millions of fans pouring into the country and snaking their way to the 12 stadiums, nine of which are being built from scratch starting in 2014.

He is not alone among key administrators in dismissing smallness as a problem. Sebastian Coe, the public face of London 2012, told the recent inaugural Doha Goals conference – aimed at using sport as a tool for positive change – that size did not necessarily matter and was certainly not an argument for knocking Qatar's success.

"It will be a mixture of the two," says Al-Thawadi. "It's a new concept, a bit like the Olympics but the feel will definitely be football. Fans will feel safe, they will feel secure, they will feel comfortable. They will also have a lot of fun. They will not only be physically cool; they will be cool in every sense."

Al Bidda Tower is home to the Qatar 2022 Organising Committee

Pinned to a wall on a lower floor of the same building, known as the Al Bidda Tower, is a detailed planner outlining what is headed "Programme Wide Masterplan: Stage One Draft".

Al-Thawadi quickly intervenes to point out that this complex chart of diagrams and arrows is not for public consumption – except to certain staff and consultants already recruited.

But if anyone had any misgivings about Qatar's ability to pull off what many believe is mission impossible, this operational blueprint – covering infrastructure, stadium construction, environment, transport and a host of other organisational features – provides an immediate insight into the work that is already being carried out to bring the World Cup to the Gulf a decade from now.

As does the soon-to-be-released strategy document which covers, over 44 pages, the next three years, setting out operational goals and objectives of Qatar's programme during the initial 2012-2015 period. It's a complicated read but a useful exercise in ascertaining how out of the box, if you like, Qatar is thinking.

Legal and security committees have already been set up to provide crucial advice and feedback, all designed to create positive a impact and enhance the fan experience both at the stadiums and in entire neighbourhoods.

It seems a tall order, particular given Doha's ghastly traffic congestion with cars gridlocked at peak times and pretty bad throughout the rest of the day. One taxi driver told me that the problem was that everyone owned a car - and insisted on driving their own rather than sharing.

The horrendous jams, insists Al-Thawadi, will change completely once an entire metro and road network is constructed, with the first signs of the progress likely to be sometime in 2014. The combination of billions of dollars and fierce determination can go a long way.

"There is a significant amount of work that needs doing," concedes Al-Thawadi. "Tenders are already out for the first tunnelling phase but I look at it like a 400-metre race. Can you go flat out early? No. Can you build up to it slowly? No.

"It's a fine balancing act and the next 10 years are exactly like that. We are putting into place a decision-making process, up and down the chain, that is quick and efficient."

But what, I asked him, was Qatar going to do about its human rights record regarding migrant workers which is constantly questioned in the media and seems to be at odds with the vision of multiculturalism?

Al-Thawadi ensures that all construction contracts will have requirements that meet international standards

"This gets raised all the time and for me it's kind of strange because we have always said we are making a commitment towards the human and social elements which are very important," he responds. "In all constructions contracts there will be requirements that meet international standards."

Indeed, Al-Thawadi is fiercely proud of the legacy element that Qatar has promised. Last week's Doha Goals conference, pulling  together many of sports' leading decision makers and stakeholders, was a classic example of the passion being demonstrated to use sport as a tool for positive change, not just in Qatar but the entire region.

Much has been made already of the jaw-dropping Aspire Dome, the state-of-the-art multi-sport venue that is used both a training and coaching headquarters for aspiring young Qatari hopefuls and hand-picked African athletes being integrated into Qatari life, and as a conference centre to spread the message of positioning the oil-rich state as a true sporting hub.

Al-Thawadi insists Qatar's relentless quest to be taken seriously would have happened regardless of whether or not they won the right to stage the World Cup. Many punters had never heard of Qatar as a sporting destination prior to the bid but Al-Thawadi counters: "The World Cup might have been a catalyst but don't forget we have also bid for the Olympics and we've already hosted a string of major international sports events. Aspire got built years before the World Cup came on board. To dispel the myth very clearly, sport is within our DNA."

And football in particular. Al-Thawadi refutes the suggestion that Qatar doesn't deserve the World Cup because it has no footballing pedigree and has never qualified for the finals. "Football wasn't born here overnight just because of 2022. I don't buy the pedigree argument. Asia now has a strong standing in world football and it's not easy qualifying.

"Don't forget that in terms of club football Al-Sadd came from nowhere to win the AFC Champions League last year. That shows the pedigree is being built. Look how long it took Africa. We have only been in place since 1971 as a country."

Qatar's leading club Al-Sadd won the AFC Champions League last year

Which is why the aspect of nation building is playing such a key role in 2022 planning, just as it did in South Africa in 2010. "We are perhaps on a scale no-one has seen before because the concept is not limited to the borders of Qatar and is about the entire Middle East," said Al-Thawadi. "We want the power of sport to break down stereotypical barriers."

But while the ideology might be for a Middle Eastern World Cup, Qatar has no intention of sharing the tournament with its neighbours. UEFA President Michel Platini, who has pushed through his plan for a pan-Continental European Championship in 2020, suggested recently that multiple hosting might also work for Qatar, the idea being to allow other Gulf states who could never stage the World Cup on their own to have a piece of the action.

But Al-Thawadi says this is not part of the grand plan and dismisses it outright. "It's not something that was part of our bid. For me it's a Qatari World Cup."

Which makes him even more determined to succeed, regardless of the tunnel vision he believes some of his critics may have. "When I look back - sleepless nights working on our final presentation and coming up with innovative concepts in our technical bid - I'm very proud of what we've done. After all, we were new to this whole industry; we didn't know anybody.

"When we won the bid on December 2, 2010, some of my closest non-Qatari friends rang me up in tears. Combining all the different cultures outweighs all the knocks we have taken. I have a pretty positive feeling that in time people will understand what we are trying to do too."

"We have a great concept and a great dream but the measure for me in terms of whether we are on the right path has always been commitment of the people and the operational staff who buy into the vision: people willing to work through thick and thin. That commitment is incredibly uplifting."

Andrew Warshaw is a former sports editor of The European, the newspaper that broke the Bosman story in the 1990s, the most significant issue to shape professional football as we know it today. Before that, he worked for the Associated Press for 13 years in Geneva and London. He is now the chief football reporter for insidethegames and insideworldfootball. Follow him on Twitter.