Moscow olympic games

Jobs for translators, guides, and guards were highly sought after, and already in October , the Soviet media was authorized to crank out publicity about the games to counteract negative propaganda from the West. Unfortunately for the already tarnished image of the Olympics as transcending politics, if not the prestige of the Soviet Union, the United States and 55 other nations decided to boycott the games in protest over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December Still, Soviet fans flocked to even the most obscure events, filling venues to near capacity.

In all, 5. The boycott thus failed to cast a pall over the Olympics, although it did deepen the atmosphere of Cold War. Four years later, the Los Angeles Summer Olympics were boycotted by the Soviet Union and most other Communist nations of eastern Europe, ostensibly for security reasons.

The Olympics were disrupted by another, even larger boycott, this one led by U. President Jimmy Carter, part of a package of actions to protest the December Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Carter engaged in extensive arm-twisting to gain support from other nations. Some governments, like those of Great Britain and Australia, supported the boycott, but allowed the athletes to decide for themselves whether to go to Moscow.

No such freedom of choice was allowed U. In the end, 67 nations did not participate, with 45 to 50 of these nations likely being absent because of the U.

Eighty nations did participate—the lowest number since Aleksandr Dityatin of Russia earned medals in every men's gymnastics event to become the first athlete to win eight medals at one Olympic Games. British middle-distance runners Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe faced each other in a memorable confrontation. In the m, Ovett won the gold medal ahead of his compatriot. Six days later, a determined Coe redeemed himself in the m.

He took the gold, while Ovett managed only a bronze. Zimbabwe responded to a late invitation, selecting members less than a week before the Games and rushing to Moscow, then surprised everyone by finishing first.