Misconceived by some as an assertion of black power, it was a wider demonstration, implemented by gold medallist Smith and his fellow Black American Carlos, the bronze medallist, against the injustice and racism they perceived in their native country and elsewhere in the world.

That Norman, the Australian sprinter who won silver, should become part of that indelible moment, having decided shortly beforehand to "stand with" Smith and Carlos and join them in wearing a badge denoting the Olympic Project for Human Rights, was fortuitous. Or perhaps, as Norman's second wife Jan said earlier this month, it was destiny.

Her comments came in a pre-recorded interview for the World Athletics Awards. The annual President's Award - at the behest of the man currently leading the sport's international federation, Sebastian Coe - was made to Smith, Carlos and Norman, posthumously in the latter case, to mark the courage and significance of their joint protest.

In announcing the recipients of the award, Coe, who became an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member this year, said: "The bravery, dignity and morality of these three men continues to inspire athletes from all sports 50 years on."

From a sports political point of view, the award was a clear and - given the stance of the IOC President Thomas Bach towards the prospect of athlete protests at the rescheduled Tokyo Games next summer - defiant gesture on the part of Coe, who has previously been explicit in his support for competitors' rights to make their wider feelings known on the podium if they so choose.

Bach, who has warned that the Olympics should not become "a marketplace of demonstrations", used his press conference following last week's IOC Executive Board meeting to suggest Coe's support for podium protests contravenes World Athletics rules.

The IOC President directly quoted article 1.3.5 on "political and religious marketing" of the World Athletics marketing and advertising rules, which states: "Both political (i.e. the promotion of any political parties, associations, movements, ideas or any other political cause) and religious (i.e. the promotion of religions, movements, ideas or other religious causes) marketing are prohibited."

"I have nothing to add at this moment in time," Bach said.

In response, a spokesperson for World Athletics said the organisation "does not believe gestures against racism can be defined as political or religious marketing".

"Rule 1.3.5 of our marketing and advertising rules relates specifically to marketing and advertising displays," the spokesperson maintained.

"There is nothing in these rules or the World Athletics Integrity Code of Conduct to prevent athletes from protesting as long as it is done in a respectful manner, considers other athletes, and does not damage our sport."

So much for the politics. 

The interview with Norman's second wife, conducted in front of the statue of Norman erected outside Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne, offered the human, and emotional, background.

Norman, who was born into a staunch Salvation Army family and who had been upbraided before the Mexico Olympics for criticising the Australian Government's policy on its indigenous peoples, was a swift and willing assistant in Smith and Carlos' proposed plan.

The image that will go down the generations, indeed, was materially shaped by him. Carlos had left the black gloves he had hoped to wear on the podium back at the Olympic Village. It was Norman's idea that his two fellow medallists should simply share Smith's gloves - which is why, for all time, the picture shows Smith holding up his right fist and Carlos his left.

But Jan's account of the podium protest as Norman experienced it provides a precious aural element to the visual one that is so widely known.

"They were waiting together for the ceremony," Jan said.

"Peter wanted to stand with them right from the start when he heard what they were planning to do, and as they were walking out he made sure that he got a badge, the Olympic Project for Human Rights badge. 

"In fact I think either Tommie or John had to virtually snatch it off an American rower's chest, I think in order for Peter to have it.

"So he very proudly stood out there on the dais with his badge on, wondering exactly how it was all going to happen.

"And when they played the American national anthem they all turned round to face the flag, and there was a man in the crowd who used to sing very loudly, sing the Star Spangled Banner. 

"And once again Peter could hear him starting up with this lovely loud voice. Then slowly it faded away. Then you could hear a pin drop. And it was silent. And that's when Peter knew it was all happening behind him."

That recollection, passed on by Norman, who died of a heart attack in 2006, aged 64, is enough to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

Acknowledging the comments he had made before the Mexico Olympics, his wife went on: "He got himself into a bit of trouble being critical about certain things too. 

"So it was like destiny, wasn't it, that he ended up with Tommie and John? As a result he considered them as his brothers, and he theirs."

In August 2012, Norman received a posthumous apology from the Australian House of Representatives which acknowledged his "bravery" in showing solidarity with Smith and Carlos on the podium. The House apologised for "the treatment he received upon his return to Australia" and belatedly recognised the "powerful role" he had played in furthering racial equality.

According to Jan, however, Norman felt that the treatment meted out to his fellow medallists was far worse.

"He was very much aware of what they were going through," she said. "The next day Peter was called into Judy Patching's office - he was the team manager. And Judy had been told 'would you severely reprimand Peter for his part that he played'.

"So Peter walked into the office and Judy said to him 'Peter, consider yourself severely reprimanded. Now would you like some tickets for the hockey this afternoon?' So really things weren't too bad for Peter.

"However, four years later, when he had qualified several times to go to the Munich Olympics, the powers that be decided to leave him home. Peter always thought that they'd thought he was a bit of a loose cannon and rather than take him they had decided not to."

Any idea that Norman was some kind of saintly Christian figure was swiftly dispelled, however, by his wife's recollections of how he had tried to wind his main rivals up before the final got underway.

"Before the race, you know how cheeky Peter was with his trash talk, he went to each runner and wished some of them good luck," she said.

"Then he went to Tommie and said 'I'm not even going to catch you if I'm on a motorbike'. So then he went to John and thought 'whatever am I going to say to him?' And suddenly on the inner field a phone rang and so Peter said 'hey, John, that must be for you'. Simply to break his concentration…

"Anyway a year or two later they were in a restaurant and a phone rang and Peter turned round to John and said - 'hey, that's for you'. 

"And John just said 'hey man, you don't get me twice!'

"They were his brothers. He went over to America a couple of times and hung out with them and just felt such a connection to them."

Speaking virtually during the World Athletics Awards, Smith recalled: "Peter crossed over into a situation in which he wanted people to know that he believed in human rights. 

"This project was the Olympic Project for Human Rights, not the Olympic Project for Athletic Rights. It was dealing with man totally. And that's why Peter was such a great friend and great orator, and we miss him greatly."

Norman's wife also recalled how, after the Australian authorities had failed to do so, the United States invited Norman to be present at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

"He was so rapt to be there and so amazed," she recalled. "We went to Michael Johnson's birthday party. And Jesse Owens' grand-daughter seemed as excited to meet Peter as he was to meet her. 

"So I think that's when he realised just how highly they held him in regard. Everyone in America, certainly.

"Peter would be so proud to be here accepting this award. As a result of course his whole family are equally proud to accept it on Peter's behalf. He didn't ever expect anything like this to happen, and anything that did happen just came along as a bonus.

"So it's a wonderful acknowledgement, and Peter would be so proud. I think that's what makes the whole thing - the very fact that Tommie, John and Peter shared that momentous day back in 1968 and now they can be sharing this award today."  

Bach's snipe. A small gesture following a large one.