Rhodesia withdraws from Summer Olympic Games

Date: 22 Aug 1972
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to withdraw from the 20th Olympic Summer Games held in Munich, Germany. The request came a few days before the official opening ceremony, as result of Rhodesia's racial policy. The IOC felt the policy of only allowing black athletes to compete in sprinting and jumping events did not make competition fair for white athletes competing for other nations. More than 7,000 athletes participated, representing 122 countries. The 1972 Olympic Games will probably be best remembered for the murder of eleven Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01Pretoria News, Friday August 22, 2003. Today in History
02Rosenberg Jennifer, History of the Olympics, [online], Available at history1900s.about.com [Accessed: 20 August 2013]
03Olympics Website, Munich 1972: 26 August- 11 September, [online], Available at www.olympic.org [Accessed: 20 August 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Rhodesia withdraws from Summer Olympic Games. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012181

South African History Online (2011) 'Rhodesia withdraws from Summer Olympic Games', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012181 (Accessed: 22 July 2026).

South African History Online, Rhodesia withdraws from Summer Olympic Games [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012181, (accessed 22 July 2026).

"Rhodesia withdraws from Summer Olympic Games." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012181. Accessed 22 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Rhodesia withdraws from Summer Olympic Games." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012181.