Politics and the Olympic Games

The World That Hiroshima Created : The World That Hiroshima Created The Olympic Games and Post-World War II Politics


I. Original Vision of the Modern Games : I. Original Vision of the Modern Games Baron Coubertin’s vision for the modern Olympic games --nationalism --internationalism --amateurism --masculine


II. The Politicization of the Games : II. The Politicization of the Games The political reality of the modern Olympics The politics of the 1936 Berlin games Initial Soviet withdrawal from the Olympics after WWII Soviet participation in the Olympics --problem of “state amateurism” 1948 London Olympics


III. The Leadership of Avery Brundage : III. The Leadership of Avery Brundage Shift in European-U.S. relations Brundage becomes first non-European IOC president The complexity of Avery Brundage Brundage’s background


III. The Leadership of Avery Brundage (cont.) : III. The Leadership of Avery Brundage (cont.) Brundage’s passion for amateur sport … … was too deep Commitment to Olympism placed above his personal life Throw back to the 19th century world of Coubertin


IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports : IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports Competing Chinese national Olympic committees in 1952 The German Olympic controversy Combative nationalism at the Helsinki Games East versus West


IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports (cont.) : IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports (cont.) Soviet resistance to Olympic fellowship Czechoslovakian runner Emil Zatopek Impact of the Cold War on the Olympics --performance levels raised --public interest heightened


IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports (cont.) : IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports (cont.) Soviet officials elected to IOC 1956 Melbourne Games --German participation --The China question Boycotts of the Melbourne Games Water polo match between USSR and Hungary


IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports (cont.) : IV. Political Complexities of Cold War Sports (cont.) Soviets emphasize the strength sports Soviet abuse of testosterone --Dr. John Ziegler Russian science harnessed for athletic success Heightened interest in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics


V. Continuing Problems for the International Olympic Committee : V. Continuing Problems for the International Olympic Committee Communist China’s withdrawal from international sports The problem of South Africa IOC raising money? Television and Olympic nationalism 1960 Rome Games Cement of Olympics: national self-interest


VI. 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games : VI. 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games First Olympics held in Asia Deep Divisions divided the world of the IOC IOC suspends SANOC for the 1964 Tokyo Games SANOC reinstated for 1968 Mexico City Games Threatened Boycott


VII. 1968 Mexico City Olympics : VII. 1968 Mexico City Olympics IOC withdraws invitation for South African participation Expensive Games in a Poor Country “Black Power” in Mexico City The Olympics as a Forum for a Variety of Statements


VIII. 1972 Munich Olympics : VIII. 1972 Munich Olympics Brundage’s last Games as president of IOC Series of pre-Olympic problems --expulsion of South Africa --invitation to Rhodesia withdrawn Brundage’s opposition to professional athletes


VIII. 1972 Munich Olympics (cont.) : VIII. 1972 Munich Olympics (cont.) “The Great White Hope” Duane Bobick Terrorism and Death in Munich -- “Black September” Chris Schenkel’s insensitivity Brundage defends the Olympics to the very end


IX. In the Shadow of Munich : IX. In the Shadow of Munich African Boycott of the 1976 Montreal Games Selection of Moscow to host the 1980 Games --Christmas invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 Support for President Jimmy Carter declining in U.S. --Iranian hostage crisis, November 4, 1979


IX. In the Shadow of Munich (cont.) : IX. In the Shadow of Munich (cont.) “Miracle on Ice” at 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games Muhammad Ali to Africa in support of a Moscow Boycott Carter forces USOC Boycott and NBC television package withdrawn Impact of the 1980 U.S. Boycott


IX. In the Shadow of Munich (cont.) : IX. In the Shadow of Munich (cont.) 1980 Election of Juan Antonio Samaranch as IOC president Initial Soviet Intent to Participate in 1984 Los Angeles Games Soviet Boycott announced --Peter Ueberroth Assessment of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics


IX. In the Shadow of Munich (cont.) : IX. In the Shadow of Munich (cont.) Questionable host city in 1988—Seoul, South Korea “Professional” Olympics --Florence Griffith Joyner --Ben Johnson Television coverage scaled back The Olympics as a “global village”