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The Boycotts of The 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games

By Liz, Niamh and Jemilla

Differing Points of view surrounding the Boycotts

By Jemilla

Basic Facts

By Niamh

Impact

By Liz

Who? : Mainly involving America and the Soviet Union although in the first boycott an extra 65 countries boycotted and in the second 14 communist countries also weren't present.

When? : 1980 and 1984

Where? In 1980 the host city of the olympics was Moscow, Russia and in 1984 the Olympics took place in Los Angeles, America

After the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, led by America, 65 out of the usual 145 countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympic in retaliation of the attack. This remarkably smaller competition pool resulted in countries, such as Britain, having a greater chance of winning the medal tally, therefore making it the most successful games for many countries. The following Olympics being held in Los Angeles, the USSR led another boycott stating that the "chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria being whipped up in the United States" motivated them not to compete. 14 Eastern Bloc countries boycotted, transforming the Games into a political stage for conflicts and changing the entirety of its meaning. These 14 countries held their own “friendship Games”, a competition between the Soviet Union and eight other socialist states as a reprisal of America’s purpose to "exploit the Games for its political purposes", prompting the debate on whether the Games was worth it. The end result was many countries questioning their participation in the Games and the Olympics nature being changed into a political message.

Obviously the boycotts of 1980 and 1984 were sparked from polar opposite viewpoints. The invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union resulted in significant tension and hostility between the world’s main powers. America’s president saw this invasion as a great injustice inspiring him to issue the ultimatum. America, and the majority of the world, saw Russia’s communist regime as a very destructive. Therefore, majority of the world agreed with the boycott. However, the Soviet Union rightfully saw the boycott as uncalled for, as they believed that their intervention in Afghanistan were not only fair but necessary. Russia retaliated by boycotting the following games in America, this was a move of revenge. The Soviet Union saw America’s boycott as an unreasonable action, America saw the Soviet Union’s boycott of the following games as a childish attempt to regain credibility. The Cold War caused great separation between countries, this is evident with the completely contrasting viewpoints surrounding the Olympic boycotts in 1980 and 1984.

Source 1: Shows a news article expressing the question on many americans mind in 1980 (http://newsweek.tumblr.com/post/27982337588/collective-history-should-we-boycott-the)

Source 11: Shows the friendship games logo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_Games

Key Facts

By Jemilla

In 1980 the United States boycotted the Moscow Summer Olympics as one of many initiatives to protest the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan on December 27th 1979 to reinforce the country’s communist regime against Islamic rebel forces, sparked America’s president Jimmy Carter to issue an ultimatum. It required that all Soviet troops in Afghanistan are to be withdrawn and if this requirement was not met by May 24th, America would boycott the Olympics. As a result of the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev failure to comply with these demands, sixty-five countries that were invited to compete in the 1980 Olympics did not participate due to the international situation, including America. The games were essentially ruined, however numerous athletes decided to participate under the Olympic flag, rather than under their own nations flag. Great Britain and Australia were the strongest allies to join the United States in calling for the boycott, although in the end both countries ended up sending athletes to the games. To try to build support for the boycott in Africa, American boxer Mohammad Ali was sent by Carter on a goodwill tour to persuade African governments to join the movement. As this mission was mostly unsuccessful, in the end America relied on its closest allies to show their support of the boycott, such as Canada, West Germany and Israel. America’s boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics is the largest boycott to have ever been instigated.   

In response, 4 years later the Soviet Union and other countries boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Soviet Union’s plan was announced by the USSR on May 8th 1984. Countries joined the boycott such as Bulgaria, East Germany, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos and Czechoslovakia in the following days. In a large show of dominance, Afghanistan, now under Soviet control, also participated in the boycott. This was a significant event for international politics as the world finally came to terms with Russia’s control. Many of these countries used propaganda to persuade their citizens and athletes that going to Los Angeles would endanger their lives. It became a very one sided and censored debate all around the world. Ultimately, the Soviet Union’s boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games was essentially an act of revenge. Although not to the same standard of the previously performed boycott in Moscow, it displayed its immense control and power. 

Source 2: Depicts the true reality of the 1980 olympics and how restricted it really was (http://adst.org/2014/02/moscow-gets-torched-the-boycott-of-the-1980-summer-games/)

Source12: The friendship games opening ceremony

(http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-india-russia-still-need-each-other/20120413.htm)

Source 8: Shows the countries involved in each Boycott

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Summer_Olympics_boycott

Source 3: The opening ceremony for the Moscow Olympics

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/07/Sport/Olympics-2012-Moscow-Boycott-1980-Don-Paige/

Source13: Time Magazine depicted the Los Angeles Olympics. (http://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19831017,00.html)

Source 10: An article on the decision to boycott the olympics.

http://newstangle.com/Carter-Calls-For-U-S-Boycott-Of-Olympics-In-Moscow-In-1980/

Source 4: Opening ceremony for the Moscow Olympics (http://www.theworldreporter.com/2014/02/moscow-olympics-vs-sochi-olympics-photos.html/2)

Bibliography:

By Liz

Source 5: The Berlin Wall showing the harsh reality of the cold war.

http://history1900s.about.com/od/coldwa1/a/berlinwall.htm

  • 1980 Summer Olympics Boycott". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016.
  • "1984 Summer Olympics Boycott". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 17 May 2016.
  • "BBC ON THIS DAY | 8 | 1984: Moscow Pulls Out Of US Olympics". News.bbc.co.uk. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016.
  • "Boycott Of 1980 & 1984 Olympics - Cold War". Sites.google.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016.
  • boycott, Carter. "Carter Announces Olympic Boycott - Mar 21, 1980 - HISTORY.Com". HISTORY.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016.
  • "Olympic Boycotts | Social & Economic Issues | National Curriculum | Schools & Colleges | National Cold War Exhibition". Nationalcoldwarexhibition.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016.
  • Olympics, Soviets. "Soviets Announce Boycott Of 1984 Olympics - May 08, 1984 - HISTORY.Com".HISTORY.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016."The Failed Carter Boycott Of The 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics - Breitbart". Breitbart. N.p., 2014. Web. 26 May 2016."The New York Times: This Day In Sports". Nytimes.com. N.p., 1980. Web. 26 May 2016."The Olympic Boycott, 1980". 2001-2009.state.gov. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 May 2016.
  • CIA, (2016). The Olympic Boycott, 1980. [online] 2001-2009.state.gov. Available at: http://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/qfp/104481.htm [Accessed 1 Jun. 2016].
  • Encyclopedia Britannica. (2015). Iron Curtain | European history. [online] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/event/Iron-Curtain [Accessed 1 Jun. 2016].
  • Gosling, J. (2016). What is the Iron Curtain?. [online] Justine Gosling. Available at: http://www.justinegosling.com/iron-curtain/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2016].
  • HISTORY.com. (2016). Cold War History - Cold War - HISTORY.com. [online] Available at: http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history [Accessed 1 Jun. 2016].
  • n/, a. (2016). 1980 Olympics. [online] Factmonster.com. Available at: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0114780.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2016].
  • n/, a. (2016). 1984 Olympics. [online] Infoplease.com. Available at: http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0114812.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2016].

Aftermath

By Niamh

Group Summary Statement and Individual Summary

Source 6: The Berlin Wall showing the Shocked reactions by the people of Germany

http://adst.org/2014/08/the-berlin-wall-is-built-august-13-1961/

During WW2 the Soviet Union and America were allies fighting against the Nazis which held parts of Europe that bordered the Union. However America had suspicion of the Soviet Union and their leader Joseph Stalin's ways of ruling and the Soviet Union had resentments against America who they believed entered the war too late. As of this after WW2 the countries had a mutual distrust for each other. This distrust is what is referred in history as the Cold War.

The Cold War was a division between nations which began and continued until one year after the Seoul, South Korea Olympics in 1988. This divide is also known as the "Iron Curtain" which refers to the divide between America and its allies with the Soviet Union and the communist states to the East. At first this border was just metaphorical and many powerful leaders like Winston Churchill pointed this out in his "Sinews of Peace Speech" in which he acknowledged this "Iron Curtain". Eventually the Soviet Union built walls with military defences to protect all nations of there own from Western European countries. The most famous section of this divide was the Berlin Wall. The 1980 and 1984 Boycotts signified the major divide between key countries so it is expected that although in 1988 when countries returned to the Games tension was still high. The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games indicated the beginning of the end, of the "Iron Curtain" and The Cold War.

After the Boycotts in 1980 and 1984 the Soviets left the Afghan war on February 15,1989 and The Berlin Wall came down. In 1989 many European countries who were apart of the Soviet Union began coming apart. Poland was the first to elect a non-communist party into power in 1989 and to leave the union. Many followed suite and continued to vote against their dictatorships. By this time both East and West Germany began to tear down the Berlin wall which divided them from the rest of Europe. Not only did the Cold War end but countries such as Hungary, Latvia and Estonia finally declared freedom. The 1988 Games not only brought countries back together through sport but also created the end of communism for many countries.

The aftermath of this Cold War and evidently boycotts was not however all positive. Political powers began to realise that they could take a political stance through sport and for that reason the Olympics would never be the same. Not only did it take an effect on the Olympic experience but it changed the way people saw societal differences and how they could be solved.

The Boycotts of 1980 and 1984 highlighted the opportunity of the Olympics to be a political stage. Essentially these Games were used to make a political point. The impact of the Games led to the Berlin Wall coming down and the friendship games being created in spite.

Through our investigation our group has realized that although the Olympics can be used for individual motive it still remains as a symbol peace and unity.

Jemilla:

During my research of this event in Olympic history I have realised the political meaning of the Games. Rather than the Games being an event to show off our athletes, it has a much greater significance. Every four years it can be used as a means to make a stand, which it was in both the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, but the event is an event of diversity and cultural differences. Learning about the Soviets movements and the worlds reaction to their actions was very interesting for me as it was not a topic I new much about. Overall, I felt I learnt a lot from my research about this topic, not only about the specific event but more importantly the generall meaning of the Olympic games.

Niamh:

Through research and my investigation I have found out about the cold war and the Berlin wall. I found it interesting that a cold war could have such an effect on the Olympics to cause Boycotts. Additionally the "Iron Curtain" was a concept that is new to me and it can be used to describe the effects of the cold war. I have learnt that the Olympics are a very important event for the international political stage, it can can be used to make a stance but it is mostly a significant event to represent unity.

Liz:The 1980 boycott an American led initiative, sparked by the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union created tension as the world was divided by politics in a celebration created for our unity. This resulted in the 1984 boycott, held in retaliation by the USSR transformed the games into a political message and divided the world. I based my reasearch on the "Friendship Games" and the result of each boycott. Overall, i believe by doing this assignment, we have become more informed about a topic that would otherwise go untold, and it was surprising to learn about a celebration being changed into a stage for political opinions.

Source 7: Winston Churchill's Sinews of Peace Speech

(http://www.authentichistory.com/1946-1960/1-cworigins/19460305_Winston_Churchill-The_Sinews_of_Peace.html)

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