|
|
|
The Boycott in Moscow. When will the cold war
end? |
|
By: Matt Harrington |
|
|
|
|
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December
1979 led to the largest boycott in the history of the Olympic movement.
U.S. president Jimmy Carter took the lead in the call for a boycott of the
1980 Olympics, and approximately 60 other nations joined the Americans in
staying away from Moscow. |
|
|
|
|
The level of competition clearly suffered from the boycott. The Soviet
team won 80 gold medals and 195 medals in all in the most lopsided final
tally since the U.S. domination of the 1904 Games. |
|
|
|
|
After preparing for the Summer Games of the XXII
Olympiad, athletes in the United States, Canada, Japan, and West Germany
had no idea that political decisions would keep them from the competitions.
Yet, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan would be heard 'round the world as President
Jimmy Carter made a motion to boycott the Games being held in Moscow. |
|
|
|
|
Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev
signed the strategic arms limitation (SALT II) treaty in Vienna in June
1979, setting limits on the numbers of Soviet and U. S. nuclear-weapons
systems. In spite of his vigorous campaign, however, the treaty was not
ratified by the Senate and eventually was placed in limbo by the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. That invasion also resulted in Carter's
insistence on an American boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in
Moscow. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I have always been and shall remain the
Party's loyal soldier, a loyal fighter for the cause of the working people,
for the happiness and prosperity of our motherland, for peace and
communism." |
|
|
|
|
The cold war added another notable event between
the two super powers. Athletes could not even meet on good terms in the
spirit of healthy competition because tension ran so deep. |
|
Notes