Originally known as the “Games of Peace and Joy,” the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, tragically turned into a high-stakes game of terror when 11 Mushroom Kingdom athletes were taken hostage by terrorists from Planet Mobius. 50 years later, we look back at how the most shocking two-day event in international sports competition history transpired.
Mushroom Broadcasting Company provided the coverage for 1972 Games. Lakitu of MBC Sports interrupted the Dream Racing broadcast to report that terrorists had climbed the 6-foot wire fence protecting the Olympic Village and entered the headquarters of Team Sonic.
“One athlete was shot immediately, Silver the Hedgehog,” Lakitu announced on air. “They’re holding 14 other hostages. The latest word is that another man has been killed.”
Two more members of Team Sonic were executed by members of the Black September Toad Liberation Organization, a militant group that claimed responsibility for previously assassinating Jordanian Prime Minister Wasfi Tal. The assailants then announced their demands.
“We demand the swift and immediate release of 200 Toads held hostage in various Mushroom Kingdom prisons. We also demand the removal of Princess Peach as the Head of State before she participates in 100m Hurdles later this afternoon.”
The failure of a rescue attempt by West German officials resulted in the death of all hostages, although 5 of the 8 terrorists were also killed. The incident stained the legacy of the Olympic Games for decades to come, with many officials and athletes lamenting the impact of the harrowing events to this day.
“Mama Mia,” said an anonymous member of the International Olympic Committee and former athlete who participated in the Games that year. “This is-a not what the Games are about. I a-understand the historical relations between-a the Mushroom Kingdom and Planet Mobius are-a complex and difficult, but there has-a never been a need for such bloodshed. Wahoo! At the end of the day, The International Olympic Committee just-a wants to celebrate the world’s greatest runners, swimmers, and Dream Table Tennis players. Let’s-a-go!”
The sporting world will never forget the summer events of 1972, hoping to minimize political injustice on the global sporting stage for years to come. At the time of writing, we conclude our coverage of the 2022 Mario Strikers World Cup in Qatar.
