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