Olympic Boycotts 1980-84 Flashcards
Why were there boycotts
In protest against the invasion of Afghanistan
When was the first boycott and who was involved
the USA led a boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games, which was held in Moscow. Over 60 nations supported the US boycott.
What was the significance of this first boycott
Olympic Games are a global event, which the Soviet Union was hoping to use to promote communism to the huge television audience who would watch the Olympics around the world. The boycott reflected the influence that the USA had in international affairs
Why was it bad for the Soviet Union (1980)
For the Soviet Union it revealed their vulnerability to Western pressure, highlighting its struggle to maintain its global influence and project its ideology in the face of America’s strategic moves.
Why did the Boycott make USSR look even weaker
The boycott was so effective that with many of the best athletes staying away, some events at the Moscow games were made to look second-rate. The Soviet Union was extremely angry that its chance to showcase communism to the world had been undermined
When was the second Boycott and who was involved
when it was the USA’s turn to hold the Olympics in Los Angeles, in 1984, the Soviet Union led a boycott of the games which was joined by 15 communist countries. However their lack of input and looked weak compared to the USA’s boycott
Why was the second boycott a failure
most communist countries were not as impressive as the western superpowers so the boycott was quite pathetic and not as significant. It showed the US had more global influence
What were the ultimate consequences
It made the Cold War not just a political conflict, but a cultural one, as both the U.S. and USSR used the Games to showcase their values and global influence. This cultural rivalry still affects international sports today, with countries using global events to make political statements or protest.
