When sports refused to bow down to terrorism...

Here is a look at few instance when sports triumphed over terrorism, and refused to bow down to the fear spread by extremists.

Dortmund fans hold a poster 'Get well, Marc!' during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Dortmund's Marc Bartra was injured after a blast outside the Dortmund team bus the day before.

The Dortmund bus attack was not the first time that terrorists had targeted a sporting event. Team buses, in fact, have been the soft target on many occasions – Sri Lanka’s team bus was attacked by armed gunmen in Lahore, Pakistan in 2009; Togo football team bus witnessed an ambush that killed three in 2010 -- while Olympic venue have had its fair share of trouble from terrorists, be it a lone-wolf attack or extremist groups espousing a cause. But sports has always managed to rise above them all. Munich Games massacre didn’t extinguish countries’ Olympic dreams; Champions League matche went ahead albeit with a slight change in the schedule after the bus attack, security was reinforced for cricketers touring sensitive places after the Lahore attack, but the show went on. We take a look at some instances where human spirit trumped terrorism in sports:

April 11, 2017: Dortmund bus attack

Dortmund team bus is pictured after the terrorist attack.

Borsussia Dortmund’s team bus came under attack when the players were heading for a crucial Champions League quarterfinal first-leg match against Monaco on Tuesday. Three bombs exploded near the bus and left Spain international Marc Bartra with a broken wrist that required surgery. Investigations are in the initial stage but it was decided that the match would go ahead the next day. The players showed some great spirit to give the viewers a thrilling match on Wednesday, with Monaco clinching the first-leg 3-2. Prior to the kick-off, Dortmund players wore t-shirts bearing a message of support for Bartra and goalkeeper Roman Burki warmed up in the defender's No. 5 jersey.

July 27, 1996: Atlanta Olympics

Twenty four years after the Munich Olympics massacre that saw the death of 13 Israeli athletes, Olympics was rocked by yet another terrorist attack. A pipe bomb exploded at the town square of Olympics where thousands had gathered for a rock concert. Thankfully, an alert security guard had seen a suspicious-looking bag a while earlier and began clearing the crowd after informing the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The bomb exploded soon afterwards killing two and injuring more than 100, but his timely act minimised the damage

Leander Paes and his family were, in fact, inside the park when the bomb exploded. In the book ‘My Olympic Journey’, he recollects, “We were about 30-40 feet away and we were rattled by the vibrations. Chairs and tables had fallen all around us, and ears were ringing. I struggled with my hearing for the next twenty-four hours”.

Despite the attack, the Games went ahead as planned, with Leander Paes ending up winning a bronze medal.

November 13, 2015: Stade de France attack

England and France played an international friendly just three days after the France terror attacks.

Three suicide bombers targeted the French national stadium where France was playing Germany in an international friendly and attended by thousands including French president Francois Hollande. It was part of the coordinated attacks that rocked the French capital leaving 130 dead. One man was killed by an explosion outside the ground.

The Germany team stayed at the stadium overnight and left to Frankfurt the next day. The attack didn’t deter the FA as it gave an all clear for the England v France friendly three day after the attack, to show 'solidarity' with the French people.

May 1, 2002: Champions League

A car bomb, planted by a separatist organisation, exploded near the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid just few hours before the semifinal between Real Madrid and Barcelona on May 1, 2002. The match went ahead after a complete security check.

Other instances...

Eleven Israeli athletes were killed at the 1972 Munich Games after Palestinian terrorist group Black September broke into the Olympic village on September 5. The Olympic organisers and the Israeli contingent wanted the Games to go ahead, but it was suspended after pressure from outside and a memorial service was held inside the Athletes’ village.

Six members of the Sri Lankan team including Thilan Samaraweera and a British coach were wounded in the daylight attack as their bus approached the cricket stadium.

Pakistan lost out on international cricket after a Sri Lanka team bus was attacked on route to the stadium by armed gunmen. Several players were injured and Pakistan was not deemed safe to host international cricket. UAE soon became Pakistan’s ‘home’ for all cricket purposes and Zimbabwe, another nation in turmoil, ended the country’s isolation by playing an international T20 six years later. Last month, the country hosted the Pakistan Super League final featuring many international cricketers, as part of its constant endeavour to bring back international cricket...