Political Exploitations

Question 1

Berlin 1936, the third reich ideology

Answer 1

Hitlers and his nazi party used Berlin to promote their political ideology/propaganda for the third reich. Pro nazi banners decorated the Olympic stadium. However, headlines were dominated by black track & field athletes from USA. Jesse Owens

Question 2

Mexico City 1968, ‘black power’ demonstration

Answer 2

First developing country to host olympics. The black power salute of of two USA sprinters, Tommie smith and John Carlos, at their medal ceremony was used to raise awareness of discrimination and a lack of civil rights in their home country. Milestone in cause of racial equalityz

Question 3

Munich 1972, Palestinian terror

Answer 3

Olympic mascots were introduced. On 5th September when members of a Palestinian terror group ‘black September’ gained entry to the Olympic village and took member from the israeli delegation as hostages. Possible murder. Generated extensive media coverage.

Question 4

Moscow 1980, USA boycott

Answer 4

Mass boycott by 66 nations, mainly instigated by the USA. The Cold War was ongoing, with highly acrimonious relations evident between the USSR and the USA. The USA-led boycott was a political protest against the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.

Question 5

Lord Angeles 1984, Soviet Union boycott

Answer 5

Soviet Union led an eastern-bloc boycott in a tit-for-tat response to the USA-led boycott of Moscow (officially it was because of lack of security measures and over-commercialisation of the games). First to be associated with commercialisation.
Era of professionalism had arrived.