1980 Summer Moscow Olympics

Yoel Feinberg

Period 1

USHAP

1980 Summer Moscow Olympics

As a response to the Soviet Union’s disregards for the calls for them to bring troops out of Afghanistan before February 20, 1980,, the United States under President Jimmy Carter called an embargo on the summer olympics that was to be held in Moscow. Many countries decided to join the embargo including Japan, Canada, and West Germany, but other countries such as Great Britain, France, Greece, and Australia did not join.

An international coalition thought that the boycotting countries would send athletes under a 

neutral flag, however Carter’s reaction to this given path for athletes was that any American 

who would find a way to compete in the events would lose their passport. Carter’s reaction 

for the 1980 olympics was very controversial for people in the United States. Many people 

felt bad for the athletes who trained so hard to compete in this historic event. Some athletes 

could not compete physically in the next summer olympic which would be held 1984, so the 

last chance to compete on the ultimate international stage was taken away from them. 

When the 1984 olympics were held in Los Angeles, the Soviet Union held a boycott against 

the United States as a form of retaliation for the previous summer olympics. Political 

rivalries 

and hatred tend to manifest itself into other fields of society, such as athletics. Throughout 

history, the human activities that people enjoy are used as political pawns.

Sources:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/carter-announces-olympic-boycott

https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/qfp/104481.htm