Okla-homey
1/26/2006, 06:38 AM
January 26, 1980 U.S. Olympic Committee votes against Moscow games
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9827/zzzzzzzzzzolympicmascot19808ta.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
1980 Summer Olympics official mascot
Over a quarter century ago today, at the request of President Jimmy Carter, the U.S. Olympic Committee votes to ask the International Olympic Committee to cancel or move the upcoming Moscow Olympics. The action was in response to the Soviet military invasion of Afghanistan the previous month.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6264/zzzzzz955pres422ny.gif (http://imageshack.us)
President Carter
Demonstrating once again that the Cold War infiltrated every facet of world life, the action indicated that even the Olympic games, an arena for sportsmanship and friendly international competition, could be a highly politicized event. Although the Committee stopped short of announcing a U.S. boycott of the Olympics in Moscow, the U.S. stance left little room for optimism on that count.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8795/zzzzzz1978russia150roublesolym.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
President Carter made it clear that if the Soviets did not disengage from Afghanistan by February 20, a cancellation of U.S. participation in the Olympics was all but certain. As one member of the committee stated, the vote reflected "what the president requested the committee to do." He indicated that the vote was a message to the Soviets that "their aggression in Afghanistan will not go unanswered."
On the other side of the argument, a number of U.S. Olympic athletes were highly critical of both the vote and President Carter's ultimatum, feeling that an international sports competition should not be a tool for political statements -- that and they were really personally disappointed and hacked-off they would not be able to compete in the what for many was to be their career-defining event.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6171/zzzzzzjimmycarterbillclinton5h.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
President Carter and a young supporter from Arkansas
The Soviets ignored the vote and the ultimatum, and the U.S. Olympic Committee decided to boycott the games. It was the first time in the modern history of the Olympics that the United States refused to participate. Almost a decade passed before the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan.
In retrospect, the US Olympic boycott would be treated by historians as typical of the good intentioned but almost completely ineffectual Carter presidency. Carter was not up to the challenge of juggling an energy crisis, spiraling inflation, and the fate of 52 American hostages held in Iran.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/7104/zzzzzquotepres395jd.gif (http://imageshack.us)
-- James Earl Carter, 39th President of the United States
Now In retirement, Carter continues his pursuit of world peace as a philosopher. His support for the volunteer organization Habitat for Humanity has helped build 85,000 houses in more than 2,000 communities in need around the world.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/407/zzzzz02242005jcwpasiapacific19.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9656/insane7zo3fu.jpg
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9827/zzzzzzzzzzolympicmascot19808ta.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
1980 Summer Olympics official mascot
Over a quarter century ago today, at the request of President Jimmy Carter, the U.S. Olympic Committee votes to ask the International Olympic Committee to cancel or move the upcoming Moscow Olympics. The action was in response to the Soviet military invasion of Afghanistan the previous month.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6264/zzzzzz955pres422ny.gif (http://imageshack.us)
President Carter
Demonstrating once again that the Cold War infiltrated every facet of world life, the action indicated that even the Olympic games, an arena for sportsmanship and friendly international competition, could be a highly politicized event. Although the Committee stopped short of announcing a U.S. boycott of the Olympics in Moscow, the U.S. stance left little room for optimism on that count.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8795/zzzzzz1978russia150roublesolym.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
President Carter made it clear that if the Soviets did not disengage from Afghanistan by February 20, a cancellation of U.S. participation in the Olympics was all but certain. As one member of the committee stated, the vote reflected "what the president requested the committee to do." He indicated that the vote was a message to the Soviets that "their aggression in Afghanistan will not go unanswered."
On the other side of the argument, a number of U.S. Olympic athletes were highly critical of both the vote and President Carter's ultimatum, feeling that an international sports competition should not be a tool for political statements -- that and they were really personally disappointed and hacked-off they would not be able to compete in the what for many was to be their career-defining event.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6171/zzzzzzjimmycarterbillclinton5h.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
President Carter and a young supporter from Arkansas
The Soviets ignored the vote and the ultimatum, and the U.S. Olympic Committee decided to boycott the games. It was the first time in the modern history of the Olympics that the United States refused to participate. Almost a decade passed before the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan.
In retrospect, the US Olympic boycott would be treated by historians as typical of the good intentioned but almost completely ineffectual Carter presidency. Carter was not up to the challenge of juggling an energy crisis, spiraling inflation, and the fate of 52 American hostages held in Iran.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/7104/zzzzzquotepres395jd.gif (http://imageshack.us)
-- James Earl Carter, 39th President of the United States
Now In retirement, Carter continues his pursuit of world peace as a philosopher. His support for the volunteer organization Habitat for Humanity has helped build 85,000 houses in more than 2,000 communities in need around the world.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/407/zzzzz02242005jcwpasiapacific19.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9656/insane7zo3fu.jpg