The USSR basketball team produced the gold of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich thanks to the intervention of William J. Jones, secretary general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

This was in an interview with the publication "Sport-Express" told the judge-timekeeper of the USSR final - the United States, the former president of the International Football Federation Josef Blatter. According to his confession, Jones personally decided to give Soviet players three seconds to attack, although the scoreboard showed only a second.

"He decided to play for three seconds, because it's impossible to resume the match in one second. Jones said: "Add three seconds". The technician translated the clock, so that the stopwatch remained underplayed for three seconds. The ball was with the Russians, they introduced it into the game. Time went, the ball flew across the court to one of your basketball players. And he sent it to the basket. Immediately thereafter, three seconds elapsed. As a result, Russia won with one point advantage, "Blatter said..

Recall the final of the 1972 Olympics USSR - the USA (51:50) is considered one of the most dramatic moments in the history of basketball.

The Soviet team lost one point, and the Americans after one of the drawings began to prematurely celebrate the victory.

For one second before the final siren, USSR national team coaches demanded a timeout, after which William Jones decided to add another two seconds to the game. Soviet basketball players from the third attempt entered the ball into the game, and Alexander Belov scored the winning goal.

Note that the American side still does not recognize the result of that match. The US also refused silver medals and boycotted the awarding ceremony.