The Olympic Games During the Cold War

Ellen Rogers & Korey Decker

Introduction Cold War 11 Olympic Games

London 1948

Statistics 59 countries 4099 athletes

385 women 17 sports

136 events

“Victory Over Dark Times” World War II halts Olympic Games London rose to the challenge

Progress First Games to be shown on home

television Starting blocks Empire Pool

Absentees Germany Japan Soviet Union

Helsinki 1952

Statistics 69 countries 4,925 athletes

518 women 17 sports

149 events

New Countries Israel Soviet Union

Notable Performances United States Soviet Union Hungary Emil Zatopek

Cold War Influence Sport remained at the top of the

agenda

Melbourne 1956

Statistics 67 countries 3184 athletes

371 women 16 sports

145 events

Outside Influence Suez Crisis

Egyptian-Israeli Conflict Invasion of Hungary Violence in North Africa

Boycotts Egypt Lebanon Iraq The Netherlands Spain Switzerland

Tokyo 1964

Statistics 93 countries 5140 athletes

683 women 19 sports

163 events

Progress Mondovision Computers Pictograms Judo and volleyball Japan’s enthusiasm

South Africa Banned from the Games after failing

to condemn apartheid

Mexico DC 1968

Statistics 112 countries 5330 athletes

781 women 18 sports

172 events

Progress German athletes Drug tests Tartan Official timing

Worldwide Events Assassinations

Martin Luther King Jr. Robert Kennedy

Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia Plaza of the Three Cultures shooting

Hundred of protesting students wounded

African Americans “Jet” Smith John Carlos

Munich 1972

Waldi the Daschund

Statistics 121 countries 7123 athletes

1058 women 21 sports

195 events

Black September Palestinian terrorist group 9 Israeli athletes taken hostage Demanded release of 234 Palestinian

prisoners in Israeli prisons and two in German prisons

Germany attacked the terrorists Terrorists killed all hostages and one

German police officer

Montreal 1976

Amik the Beaver

Statistics 92 countries 6028 athletes

1247 women 21 sports

198 events

Obstacles for Montreal IOC hoped to restore all events Stadium and other facilities under

construction Delays Increase in gas prices

Progress Women’s events

Basketball Rowing Handball

Nadia Comaneci Romanian gymnast

Torch

Boycotts Africa

22 countries Taiwan Cameroon Egypt Morocco Tunisia

Moscow 1980

Misha the Bear

Statistics 80 countries 5217 athletes

1125 women 21 sports

203 events

Boycotts United States Japan West Germany China Philippines Argentina Canada

The IOC’s Response Opposed the boycott Felt that the games should be more

than politics

Biased Competition Soviets took control of the games

197 overall medals 80 gold

Irregularities

Los Angeles 1984

Sam the Eagle

Statistics 140 countries 6797 athletes

1567 women 21 sports

221 events

Boycott Soviet Union Cuba East Germany

Funding No government financing Strictly private funding

Progress Neroli Fairhall

Paraplegic archer Women’s marathon Women’s cycling Blueprint for future Olympic Games

Seoul 1988

Hodori the Baby Tiger

Statistics 159 countries 8465 athletes

2186 women 23 sports

237 events

Protests Soviet Union

Still participated Cuba Ethiopia North Korea

Achievements $288 million profit Encouraged the West to explore

South Korea’s history and culture Increased trade and commerce

Progress Women sweep equestrian medals Kerstin Palm

7 Olympic Games Table tennis Tennis returned Open to professionals

Doping Ben Johnson

100m dash Tested positive for steroids

Barcelona 1992

Cobi the Little Dog

Statistics 169 countries 9367 athletes

2708 women 25 sports

257 events

Boycott Free First time since 1972 Apartheid abolished in South Africa Fall of the Berlin Wall Reunification of East and West

Germany End of Communism in the Soviet

Union 15 separate countries that participated

as a “unified team”

Progress Baseball achieves medal status

Baseball had appeared as an exhibition sport at six Olympic Games

Badminton Women’s judo

Conclusion Sport remained most important Olympic “spirit” was present in

almost all of the games

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coldwar.htm http://www.topendsports.com/

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Israel/Nixon/NixonLog090672.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/

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http://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/09/world/moscow-s-statement-shuns-term-boycott.html

http://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-13/sports/sp-3286_1_montreal-s-summer-olympics