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Governor General David Johnston believes 1972 Munich victims should be recognized at Olympic opening ceremonies

The summer games in London mark the 40th anniversary of the terrorist act at the 1972 Games in Munich that cost the lives of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.

Over the past several months, Canada, along with the U.S. and several other nations, have lobbied the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to acknowledge the event with a short, single moment of silence at this year's opening ceremonies.

In their infinite wisdom, the IOC has refused.

On Thursday, Governor-General David Johnston added his voice to the pleas for a formal, Olympic commemoration.

"I should never exercise a political judgment, but my own view is that Munich should be marked in a number of ways — including that," he told CTV's Lisa LaFlamme.

"I think my own proclivity is that it was such a tragic event that it is appropriate for us to recognize it and remember it in a number of venues."

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Johnston's views are shared by all of the major political parties in Canada.

In June, a parliamentary motion by Liberal MP Irwin Cotler to support the initiative for a special tribute was adopted unanimously in the House of Commons.

According to The Canadian Press, Minister of State for Sport Bal Gosal and Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird even wrote a letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge asking him to reconsider his position.

"The terrorist attack targeted not only Israel, but the spirit and goals of the Olympic movement," they wrote.

"Given the impact of this tragedy, on the Olympic community as a whole and the world, it should be marked publicly as part of the official ceremony of the games, not just by the Israeli delegation."

Rogge did take part in a moment of silence at the Athlete's Village when the Israeli flag was raised but that was a private function, for Israelis, by Israelis.

Despite the IOC's impedance, however, it appears that the North American broadcasters of the opening ceremonies are doing the right thing.

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According to Steve Simmons of the Sun News Network, NBC sportscaster Bob Costas has already told people he will have his own moment of silence when the Israeli team marches into the stadium, independent of the IOC or the network he works for.

On CTV, host Brian Williams has also acknowledged he will make some reference to the killings of 1972, but wouldn't say in what context.

"The world will see it. The world will hear it," writes Simmons.

"But the IOC instead chooses to run and hide, their Olympic heads buried deep in the sand."