"Salute" - Speaking Truth to Power at the Olympics- the Price Paid and the Solid
Ciaron | 20.08.2008 17:00
The film 'Salute'
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The Australian Silver medalist, Peter Norman, joined Smith and Carlos protest by borrowing a OPHR (Olympic Project for Human Rights) badge he spotted on Paul Hoffaman, a white member of the U.S. Rowing Team, as he made his way to the winner's podium. It was Norman who suggested they share the gloves as Carlos had forgotten his at the Olympic Village. Ths is why Smith is raising his right fist and Carlos his left.
Although running 100 metres & 200 metres qualifying times for the Munich '72 Olympics Norman was left out of the '72 Olympics because of his action on the '68 podium. As consequence, Australia sent no sprinters to the '72 Olympics. The only time in its Olympic history.
Peter Norman was then blacklisted and left out of the 2000 Olympic celebrations in Sydney by the Australian Olympic Committee - long memories them OZ bureaucrats! (Bytheby this is ironic as Sidny Nolan's "copkiller" Ned Kelly was celebrated in the Opening ceremony of Sydeny 2000 Olympics and of course "Midnight Oil in a more spontaneus contribution whipped on their "Sorry" t-shirts in the closing ceremony, I digress!) On hearing this the U.S. team invited Norman to join them at the Sydney Olympics! Go figure!
The three men kept quite a strong connection - Peter Norman died of a heart attack in 2006. Smith and Carlos came out to Melbourne to speak at the funeral and carry his coffin. A statue of the incident was unveilled at San Jose University. Norman's space is left vacants so people can take the stand to take a stand!
Peter Norman's nephew Matt has performed a great service.
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Ciaron
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