"He (Carter) placed an embargo on grain exports to the Soviet Union, withdrew the United States from participation in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, drastically increased the U.S. military budget, and instructed the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to offer covert aid to the Soviet Union's guerrilla opposition, the mujaheddin."
-Fred Nadis, "Fall of the Soviet Union"
"(Carter) felt he needed to do what was best not only for the U.S. but for the free world and he saw the Soviets setting stage for a march to the Persian Gulf and he wanted to do something to make them step back and think about that," Hulme said. "The boycott was a low price to pay."
-Scott M. Reid, "Who Was Punished By Carter's Boycott"
-Fred Nadis, "Fall of the Soviet Union"
"(Carter) felt he needed to do what was best not only for the U.S. but for the free world and he saw the Soviets setting stage for a march to the Persian Gulf and he wanted to do something to make them step back and think about that," Hulme said. "The boycott was a low price to pay."
-Scott M. Reid, "Who Was Punished By Carter's Boycott"
The Moscow Games
The level of competition at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow was significantly lower than in previous years. (Britannica) Several of the participating countries refused to attend the opening ceremony, and the Olympic hymn was played at several medal ceremonies, rather than the appropriate national anthem. (Britannica, 1980 Summer Olympics) The Games were also hurt by rowdy behavior from spectators, cheating by officials and intrusive fans, such that winners in track events were physically prevented from taking victory laps. "The Soviets hoped the Olympics would be their coming out party," said Hulme, author of "The Political Olympics." "But because of the boycott that opportunity was really squandered. The boycott showed a light on the Soviets that was unfavorable." (Reid, 10) Nearly a third of expected foreign visitors stayed away, denying the struggling economy desperately needed hard currency. However, "it (the boycott) didn't have an impact on Soviet foreign policy," said Scott Kaufman, author of "Plans Unraveled: The Foreign of the Carter Administration." "It really had no impact on the Soviet Union in any way." (Reid, 7)
"I asked one of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, whom they had called on to talk to us athletes, if he could tell me truthfully whether it would save one life -- and he couldn't."
"It nearly destroyed me."
"That the Games have continued to thrive is neither consolation nor solace for that. It's just a fact."
-Anita DeFrantz (former Olympic athlete)
The low turnout did not induce the Soviets to withdraw from the quagmire of Afghanistan any earlier. (Young, 3) Gorbachev and the Soviet government didn't pull its troops out of Afghanistan until 1989, after a nine-year occupation of that country. (ABC-Clio, American History) After the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan, a domino effect began that led to the Soviet Union crumbling into pieces. However, the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics by the United States had no profound effect on these occurrences. Ironically, the Soviets boycotted the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles as a response. (Young, 3)
"I asked one of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, whom they had called on to talk to us athletes, if he could tell me truthfully whether it would save one life -- and he couldn't."
"It nearly destroyed me."
"That the Games have continued to thrive is neither consolation nor solace for that. It's just a fact."
-Anita DeFrantz (former Olympic athlete)
The low turnout did not induce the Soviets to withdraw from the quagmire of Afghanistan any earlier. (Young, 3) Gorbachev and the Soviet government didn't pull its troops out of Afghanistan until 1989, after a nine-year occupation of that country. (ABC-Clio, American History) After the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan, a domino effect began that led to the Soviet Union crumbling into pieces. However, the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics by the United States had no profound effect on these occurrences. Ironically, the Soviets boycotted the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles as a response. (Young, 3)
"It was a pointless exercise and a shameful part of U.S. history." 1. Library of Congress archives
2. Sports Illustrated 3. Associated Press 4. "Olympic Boycotts" |