December 1956. The Soviet Union v Hungary water polo clash at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics became known as the "Blood in the Water" match. Coming a few weeks after Soviet forces had helped put down an anti-communist uprising in Budapest, Hungarian players and fans taunted their Soviet counterparts and fists soon flew. The events inspired a documentary, "Freedom's Fury", and a movie "Children of Glory".

October 1968. US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their gloved fists in the air in a 'Black Power' salute during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner after coming first and third in the 200m at the Mexico Olympics on October 16. Both were at first ostracised by the US sporting establishment, but pursued sporting careers and have since been given awards honouring their work.

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September 1972: Armed Palestinians took hostage nine Israeli athletes, coaches and officials in the Munich Olympic Games village on September 5. All of the Israelis were killed in an attempted rescue as they were taken to a jet waiting at Munich airport. Five of the militants were also killed in the worst tragedy to hit the Olympics.

December 1969: An anti-apartheid campaigner hijacked a bus carrying South Africa's all-white rugby team in London. Vice-captain Tommy Smith grabbed the driver who then crashed the bus in one of many high-profile protests that disrupted the Springbok tour. Some games were played behind barbed wire fences while there were pitch invasions at others. South Africa's 1970 cricket tour of England was cancelled.

May 1990: A riot between fans of Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia and Serbian club Red Star Belgrade played a key role in the run-up to the start of the 1991-95 war that led to Croatia's independence and Yugoslavia's break-up. The riot erupted just weeks after Croatian groups demanding independence had won the first multi-party elections. Sixty people were beaten, stabbed or injured with tear gas in the riot.

March 2009: Gunmen ambushed Sri Lanka's cricket team as their bus headed for the second day of a Test against Pakistan in Lahore. Six players were injured, six police and two civilians were killed. Pakistan-based Islamic militants were blamed.