Olympic Boycotts

• 1. In protest for the invasion of Afghanistan, USA coordinated a boycott of Moscow 1980 Olympics by over 60 nations
• 2. USA athletes were prevented from travelling whilst other nations like UK encouraged their athletes not to go but did not prevent them from going
• 3. The success of the boycott demonstrated the power and status of USA in terms of international relations which deeply angered the USSR
• 4. This insult served to only deepen the division between East and West and contributed to the start of the Second Cold War
• 5. In 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the USSR coordinated a tit for tat boycott resulting in 15 communist states refusing to send their athletes. The USSR organised a rival tournament called the Friendship Games