Five Times Politics Overshadowed Sports at the Olympics
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The Olympics aspire to bring out the best in humanity through a celebration of athletic achievement and international cooperation, based on the belief that a “peaceful and better world” can be built through respectful competition. But as history has shown, when so many countries get together in one place things can get pretty damn political.
The U.S. has been sending athletes to the Olympics since 1896, and on several occasions, global and domestic politics overshadowed the sporting side of the Games. We’ve recapped five of the times when politics trumped sports at the Olympics as the opening ceremony gets this year's Summer Olympics underway in Tokyo, Japan.
1936 Berlin Olympics
Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany hosted the 1936 Olympics, viewing the Games as an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that the country had rebuilt itself into a major European power following World War I. Grounded in the Nazi’s ideology of racial superiority, Hitler’s regime had already consolidated its power and put in place discriminatory anti-Jewish policies in advance of the Games, leading to substantial debate about whether the U.S. should boycott the Olympics in protest.
Those calls went unheeded, which allowed track and field athlete Jesse Owens, an African-American, to go out and win four gold medals in the 100m and 200m sprints, long jump, and 4x100m relay in Hitler’s Germany. The silver medals in the 100m and 200m sprints also went to two of Owens’ black teammates: he edged Ralph Metcalfe (who later served four terms in Congress) in the 100m by one-tenth of a second; and Mack Robinson, the older brother of baseball player Jackie Robinson, in the 200m by 0.4 seconds.
The controversy surrounding the 1936 games wasn’t confined to the decision to send a U.S. team to Berlin. Two Jewish-American sprinters — Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller — were pulled from the 4x100m relay team on the day of the race in favor of Owens and Metcalfe, and accused the U.S. of pulling them in order to avoid embarrassing Hitler and his regime. While no proof ever emerged that anti-Semitism drove the decision, in 1998 the U.S. Olympic Committee awarded plaques “in lieu of the gold medals they didn’t win” to Glickman and posthumously to Stoller.
1968 Mexico City Olympics
The 1968 Mexico City Games featured a number of outstanding performances by American athletes between Bob Beamon shattering the world long jump record by 21 inches, Dick Fosbury winning gold while revolutionizing the high jump with the Fosbury Flop, and Jim Himes becoming the first sprinter to break the 10-second barrier. They also featured perhaps the most overtly political protest in modern times amid what was already a politically charged year due to the Vietnam War intensifying and the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy.
The stage was set for the protest following the 200m finals, where African-Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos won the gold and bronze medals, respectively. Smith had set a world record in the race. During the medal ceremony, the two men were joined by Australian silver medallist Peter Norman, and all three wore badges from the Olympic Project on Human Rights to protest racial discrimination. (Norman, a white man, was a critic of an Australian policy restricting immigration to his country by non-whites.)
But it wasn’t the human rights badge that made the protest so controversial. Smith and Carlos planned to receive their medals shoeless while wearing black socks to represent the poverty faced by many blacks in America. Smith wore a scarf to represent black pride, while Carlos opened his collar to show solidarity with the working class and a necklace representing blacks killed because of their race. They’d planned to both wear black gloves to the ceremony but only brought one pair, so at Norman’s suggestion, they each wore one glove.
As “The Star-Spangled Banner” played after they were awarded their medals, Smith and Carlos each bowed their heads and raised a fist in a black power salute. While they were booed by the crowd when they left the podium, the men had made their mark; their protest soon became front-page news around the world and the moment was immortalized by this iconic photo:
1972 Munich Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics are remembered less for what happened during any athletic competition than for the horrific intrusion of terrorism into the Games in what’s known as the “Munich Massacre.” A Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September broke into facilities housing Israeli athletes with an eye toward taking hostages in order to secure the release of 234 prisoners in Israel and two in Germany.
The terrorists killed an Israeli athlete and a coach during the initial break-in and managed to take nine hostages. One Israeli athlete, a racewalker named Shaul Ladany, was awakened by the screams of one of his teammates and escaped the building, reaching the nearby American dormitory and alerting U.S. track coach Bill Bowerman to the situation. While Ladany notified German police, Bowerman ― a World War II veteran of the 10th Mountain Division ― called the American Consulate in Munich to get a detail of Marines to come to the Olympic Village to protect two Jewish-American athletes who were staying at the Village: swimmer Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals in Munich, and javelin thrower Bill Schmidt.
Events at the Olympics were postponed for more than a day to deal with the hostage crisis, which allowed President Richard Nixon time to discuss the situation with his cabinet, all of which was picked up by Nixon’s soon-to-be infamous office recording system. After speaking with National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State William Rogers, and Kissinger’s adviser Alexander Haig, Nixon decided that the U.S. should press the United Nations to counteract international terrorism through rules about harboring militants.
Following negotiations with the terrorist group, the hostage situation ended tragically when a rescue attempt carried out by German police went awry and a police officer and all nine hostages were killed.
1980 Moscow Olympics
The Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 cast a shadow of darkness over the upcoming Summer Olympics, which were slated to be held in Moscow. In early 1980, President Jimmy Carter threatened that the U.S. would boycott the Games unless the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan.
A boycott of the Olympics wasn’t unprecedented: 30 African countries boycotted the 1976 Montreal Games after New Zealand was allowed to compete despite sending its rugby team to apartheid South Africa for a match. Taiwan pulled out of those Games as well after China lobbied Canada into denying them the right to compete. Still, detractors argued that a boycott would be seen as a symbolic ― rather than strategic ― gesture and wouldn’t lead to a Soviet withdrawal.
But ultimately, the U.S. went forward with the boycott, along with more than 60 other countries. Some of them allowed athletes to decide individually whether they’d compete, including the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. But others such as Japan and West Germany joined the U.S. in a full boycott of the Games. Many of those athletes competed instead at the “Liberty Bell Classic” which was held that year in Philadelphia and funded through $10 million from Congress.
1984 Los Angeles Olympics
The adage that “what goes around comes around” rang true following the U.S.-led boycott of the Moscow Games as the Soviet Union, the communist Eastern Bloc, and some other socialist countries decided to boycott the Los Angeles Olympics four years later.
Just a few months before the opening ceremonies were to begin, the Soviets announced that they wouldn’t compete due to security concerns, in addition to “chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria being whipped up in the United States.” The countries also complained that the Los Angeles Olympics Committee had allowed the Games to be commercialized by big business, and in so doing they were “perverting the Olympic ideals.” Iran also boycotted over America’s support for Israel, “interference in the Middle East,” and interventions in Latin America.
Just prior to the boycott announcements, relations between the Soviet Union and the U.S. reached a low point after a South Korean commercial airliner was shot down by the Soviet military, killing all 269 people aboard. In spite of public outrage and attempts to ban the Soviets from the Games, President Ronald Reagan and his administration continued to work to accommodate the Soviet Union’s requests to ensure their participation and vowed not to discriminate against them.
Ultimately, those attempts were unsuccessful and the Soviet boycott spawned a similar spin-off to the 1980 Liberty Bell Classic, as the “Friendship Games” were held between the Soviet Union, North Korea, and six other Eastern Bloc nations. While President Reagan believed a fear of Soviet athletes defecting to the U.S. may have played a role in the boycott, Howard Tyner of the Chicago Tribune summed up the prevailing rationale:
“Deep down, it was undoubtedly the hurt and embarrassment of 1980 that lies behind the stunning Soviet decision Tuesday to pass up this year’s Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”
― Eric Revell
(Main Photo Credit: Bundesarhiv, Bild via Wikimedia / Creative Commons | 1968 Black Power Salute: Angelo Cozzi (Mondadori Publishers) via Wikimedia / Public Domain)
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I have to say that I really don’t care about the Olympics at all anymore. Are used to really enjoy watching them but they have become so water down with sports like skateboarding surfing speed climbing water polo and synchronized swimming etc. that I see no point in it. Plus the fact that the whole thing is managed by a bunch of rich white people who themselves are not even near being athletes. The athletes in fact are completely left out of any and all of the decision making in the Olympics. Then bring in the gamut of countries cheating with steroids just to win it’s turned into one big pile of crap. Who cares about it. Let’s do away with it and form a new and better organization of actual amateur athletes that have to be from the country representing.
Well, it's always something! Jim Thorpe, also known as "The Greatest Athlete in the World" won both the pentathlon and the decathlon in the 1912 Olympic games. He was an American Indian man; Saux and Fox. They took his medals away from him, once they figured out that he wasn't a white guy. They said that it was because, "he had been paid $1.05 for playing in a semi pro baseball game in 1909. They took all his medals away. All of his medals were finally restored to his family in 1989. Yea, 77 years later! Then of course there was Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota man. He won the Gold medal in the 10,000 meter run (6.2 miles) in 1964 in the Tokyo Olympics. He ran in "borrowed" shoes. He was not issued the "Olympic shoes". He was the first non-European to win the 10,000 meter race and retains that title to this very day "the only non Euro from the Americas". I have no respect for the Olympics and never pay any attention to them.
All sports are loosing more and more viewers because of the Political statements. If they want something done in government, then They should do it the same way everyone else does. Get on the streets and protest. Protesting is our God given right. However, your Job is not the Place! If I started making politics in my work, I would loose my lob. If I was part of a Peaceful Protest, they can’t fire me, they could just make something up but places such as tue Award shows are losing almost all their viewers.you are there to play a game you are getting paid way too much for, and you are not to kneel at the flag which represents the country and the people who hired you and who are paying your exorbitant salaries. The same with the entertainment industry. You make your money from us but I tickets and memorabilia for your shows or movies there is no time to start rambling on about politics. You are there to except your Award, but man who posted it his name is on the chair in my time but he was really funny he said the same thing can I get your award thank your mom you say don’t stand here for a half hour talking about about politics. Most people don’t wanna hear about your political views it when they are watching an award show, or playing a game. You are losing all your fans both in the entertainment industry and sports. People do not like this. They do not want you also to be talking about politics so nice and heavy and see also making jokes were talking about politics. I don’t know what this is for. Again, protest can be great and make changes and help people but your job is not the place to do it. And if you continue to do it less and less people are going to watch your fans will turn on you. It doesn’t matter what political side of the aisle they are on. They are just sick of all this gaslighting is going onIn the entertainment business including sports because that is entertainment. And you were also checking a knee to a flag that has nothing to do with BLM or the Mieto move it people just want to be entertaind.
Any sports especially Olympics athletes have their opinion about politics that is great that is there right. But when they go and represent the United States America they leave their opinions their voice about politics at home . And if they make a statement at the games if they make medal The Olympic committee should pulled their medal from them and they be band for Life .
Nothing is more revoltingly nauseating then some self-righteous narcissists who spits in the face of the people in the country they allegedly represent! We don't need them. If an individual has a problem with the country they allegedly represent, go represent the country that they believe is better. (Good luck with that!)
Unfortunately politic is away of life and has been from the being of time. Political beliefs and opinions are injected in every day life, it’s not just government, but political groups, corporations, religion, community, whites, black, brown, men, women, ethnic groups, markets, geographic areas, cultures, work place and many more. This is done for many reason usually egos and positions. Thing to remember don’t let your emotions, egos and marginalized run your life, but logic, facts and accountability, not assumptions or opinions. Assumptions and opinions are only the starting point for truth and facts. Their is no place for lies and misinformation. Science is the pursuit of truth, proof and facts, plus held accountable for the results and is a path forward.
I could care less about the woke Olympic athletes and for that matter the NBA, MLB, NFL or any USA hating people - Democrats who are hell bent on destroying this great nation.
Nation States may choose to pull their athletes to make a political statement. Individual athletes may choose to make symbolic political statements on their own. So what? The competition between athletes should be kept separate from all of this, provided the the competitors all compete fairly and according to the rules. … … … So long as the politics does not disrupt the the ability of attending athletes to freely and fairly compete; once again, so what? Whether or not a Nation-State should or should not pull their athletes is strictly a matter for that Nation-State, as is the matter of sanctioning individual athletes for making symbolic political gestures. … … … Keep politics out of free and fair competition between athletes. Keep the Olympic Game’s vision as a place where athletic competition replaces Nation-State political posturing.
Unfortunately, the objective of the Olympics has been lost to politics, not only due to the actions of the countries involved, but to those who represent said countries. I no longer have an interest in watching. The cancer of politics continues to destroy all that was/is good.
I’m so not happy with sports teams using there platform for political stunts. I will never watch or support a team that plays that game on our Nation. Good bye hope you go broke.
Making a statement FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SHOULD NEVER BE DISCOURAGED!!! Human rights is not political, yet so often we make it political based on what people believe. Athletes that make a human rights statements should be encouraged to. THEY HAVE A PLATFORM TO SEEK CHANGE! To shut them up is a disservice to becoming a better country and world. And to those of you that just want athletes to shut up and dribble, maybe you should take a moment and rethink your beliefs by trying to UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ATHLETES ARE FIGHTING FOR!!!! Now if an athlete makes a protests saying the US election was rigged—THATS POLITICAL and has no place in the Olympics.
The ridiculousness of Robert’s statement demonstrates he only watched Fox News. I’m sure the only thing he watches now is OAN. Highlighting one race is worth something is not highlighting all other race are inferior. In Robert’s life time blacks could not go to the same schools, eat in the same restaurants, and compete in some of the same sports. The constitution I am sure he touts so loudly claimed they were only 3/5ths a person. But sure…. It’s not a racist thing….
US Olympic women’s soccer team took a knee when the National anthem was played. So proud of them for using their platform in such a socially reasonable way.
After the Dr. Larry Nasser scandal and the US Olympics trying to cover-up these blatant sexual abuses and ignoring reports for decades I was completely appalled of the organization and lack of repercussions to those who failed these young athletes. Not only was it in gymnastics but many others like swimming have toxic cultures. Now with the disrespect to our own country and flag by many athletes I REALLY don’t care to watch. The olympics organization has some serious revamping they need to do and not just changing out board members or their CEO.
US Olympic women’s soccer team took a knee when the National anthem was played. Put them on a plane now & drop them off in Cuba.-
Idealizing sport and trying to separate it from politics is a pointless endeavor doomed to fail. Just like the attempt to ban "professionalism" in favor of pure amateurism failed. The Olympics tried to purify sports competitions but has only succeeded in putting its own cash grab above the its athletes.
Everything is political We can pretend it isn’t but that does not make it so
Only 5 times ,, try ever one of them
In this cancel culture days we are in, with the coronavirus still being spread around the world, and the United States being reminded daily of the inferiority of all races except the black race, what was the purpose of sending anybody but black peoples to compete with this inferior team. The excitement of the games was further diminished by no audience in the stand. Then if that was not enough to ruin the games the Americans sent a woman who said she hope to win a medal so she could burn our American Flag at the podium. Why was she even allowed to represent our country? So as most Americans and people around the world most of us will not see one minute of the games. I don’t watch the news anymore on the networks but watch Newsmax and Blaze TV. I used to watch FOX News only but since election night 2020 I have blocked the channel.
Sports is the only time blacks have the stage to talk about and show the injustice that are happening to people of color in the United States I wish that all black people and it is slowly happening go back to the motherland since the right to vote has been taken away from us