Why was the 1980 Olympics boycotted?
1 min read
Asked by: Jeff Veatch
Was the Summer Olympic 1980 boycott successful?
Within the United States, there was public support for the boycott. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a nonbinding resolution approving the decision to stay away from Moscow with a vote of 386 in favor and 12 opposed; the U.S. Senate passed a similar measure with a vote of 88 to 4.
Was the Moscow Olympic boycott successful?
A group of American athletes sued the U.S. Olympic Committee to participate but lost the case. The boycott resulted in just 80 countries competing in the Olympics, the fewest since 1956.
How did the 1980 boycott affect the Olympics?
The athletes of 16 countries did not fly their national flags. Instead, Olympic flags were raised, and the Olympic Anthem replaced their national anthems at the medal ceremonies. There was one awards ceremony where three Olympic flags were raised, that being the men’s individual pursuit in cycling.
