Olympics Boycott

Did you know the USA boycotted the Olympics in our lifetime?

Yes, The USA boycotted the Olympics, hosted by Moscow, in 1980. 

 Do you know why?

 

Answer:

The United States and a number of other countries boycotted  the games because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, though some athletes from some of the boycotting countries participated in the games, under the Olympic Flag.  This prompted the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Eighty nations participated in 1980 – the smallest number since 1956.  

As a form of protest against the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, fifteen countries marched in the Opening Ceremony with the Olympic Flag  instead of with their national flags, and the Olympic Flag and Olympic Hymn   were used at Medal Ceremonies when athletes from these countries won medals. Competitors from one country –New Zealand – competed under their association flag, the flag of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association. 

29 of the boycotting nations participated instead in the Liberty Bell Classic (also known as the "Olympic Boycott Games") in Philadelphia in 1980.  

Of note, the 1980 Games were the first to be held in Eastern Europe.

Nadia Elena Comăneci, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal   (and the first female gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event), won two gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. 

Can you believe Nadia turned 50 this year?!

 For more, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Summer_Olympics_boycott