As more than 40 nations are gearing up for a Parisian Olympic Boycott, The memories of Moscow are still fresh. Olympic Games are always a source of controversies, walk-ous, and a stage to voice dissent.
Summer Olympics Boycott
- The 1960 Summer Olympics holds special place in every Olympic fan’s heart. The first-ever Olympics in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the first Olympics where boycott happened as per records. Eight teams boycotted the 1960 Olympics.
- Egypt, Iraq, Cambodia, and Lebanon boyccotted the games due to the Suez Crisis. Spain, Netherlands, and Hungary boycotted due to the Soviet Invasion of Hungary. Meanwhile PR China boycotted the Games following a dispute with Republic of China over right to represnt China
- Three major Asian countries protested the 1964 Olympics which was hosted in Tokyo. The 1964 Olympics is significant as it is the first Olympics hosted in Asia.
- The Games of New Emerging Forces (GANEFO) was set up by Indonesia as a counter-part to Olympics. North Korea, China, Indonesia particpated in the same. IOC refused to accept any athletes who participated in GANEFO. Hence the three aforementioned withdrew and boycotted the Games.
- In 1976, Montreal hosted the Summer Olympics. So far, the only Summer Olympic Games in Canada. However, they hosted two Winter Olympics.
- About 29 countries (mostly African) protested and boycotted the games. The boycott stemmed from the participation of New Zealand, who earlier defied the IOC mandates and send its rugby team to tour South Africa. South Africa, on the other hand, served ban due to their apartheid policies.
- The 1980 Moscow olympics saw the highest number of non-participation of IOC members. The Olympics held during the height of the Cold War saw just 80 contingents
- The key sporting nations like USA, Canada, UK and tehir allies kept away from the Olympics. The resaon behind the Olympic boycott was the worsening situation in Afghanistan after Soviet invasion. Boycotts due to Soviet/Russian Invasion have no dearth when it comes to Olympics.
- After Moscow, The Games moved to the other power bloc, USA. The Games hosted in Los Angeles saw the reverse of Moscow happening.
- A total of 18 nations boycotted the Games. Fifteen of them followed teh Soviet-led Boycott which said that there’s anti-Soviet hysteria whipping in the States. The boycotting nations all belonged to Communist or Marxist governments. Albania, Iran, and Libya boycotted citing political reasons, which had no connection with the Soviet-led boycott
- The 1988 Seoul Olympics was the second Olympics in Asia and one of the cited reasons for the end of Cold War. In contrast to Moscow or Los Angles, there was no ideological division based boycott.
- However, Seven nations boycotted the event. North Korea, backed by Fidel Castro’s Cuba wanted joined hsoting of teh Games and several other demands. IOC could not meet many of them and resulting in North Korean boycott. In addition to North Korea, their allies Cuba, Seychelles, and Albania also backed out by not resposnding to the IOC Invitation. Nicaragua and Madacasgar cited financial reasons behind the boycott.
- The Tokyo Olympics of 2020 also saw some kind of boycott. However, this was due to the COVID-19 scares more than political reasons.
- North Korea skipped the Games afarid of the fatal COVID19.
Winter Olympics Boycott
- During the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, UK and USA diplomatically boycotted the event due to Russian Invasion of Crimea.
- The major Winter Olympic Boycott happened a year ago in beijing. The key nations of the World like USA, India diplomatically boycotted due to concerns of Uyghur Muslims and issues of Tibet respectively.
What’s happening to Parisian Dream of Olympics? Will the major nations show up? All hangs on Russia!
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