The Summer Olympic Games, which took place in Moscow in 1980, became legendary in a sense. They were remembered by the inhabitants of our country and remained in the history of world competitions as one of the most controversial Olympics.
The history of these games began with an international scandal. US President Jimmy Carter called for a boycott of the Olympic Games in the USSR. This call became a sign of protest against the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan. There was a mixed reaction. About fifty countries supported the idea and did not send their teams to Moscow. Among them are the People's Republic of China, Japan, and the Federal Republic of Germany. However, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch was convinced that the sport should be apolitical. Samaranch was able to persuade many countries not to respond to the boycott. Athletes who came to the Games despite the government's ban performed under the Olympic flag.
By the beginning of the Olympics in Moscow, the main sports facilities of the city in Luzhniki and Krylatskoye were reconstructed, as well as new facilities were built. The Olympic Village was located in the south-west of Moscow. To make the right impression on the guests of the capital, the city was cleared of asocial elements that spoiled the landscape (homeless people, women of easy virtue, dissidents) - they were evicted 101 kilometers away. Shop counters were filled with goods, many of which the Soviet people had never seen in their lives - after the shortage, it looked especially impressive.
Due to the boycott, the number of participating countries was reduced to 80. They competed for awards in 21 sports from July 19 to August 3. Moreover, despite the problems, many records were set at the 1980 Summer Olympics - 36, which is more than at previous games. And one of the Russian athletes, according to the results of the performance, got into the Guinness Book of Records. Alexander Dityatin was recognized as the only gymnast to win medals in all 8 gymnastic disciplines at one game.
During the competition, representatives of 25 national teams received gold medals. Moreover, more than half of all "gold" was won by Soviet athletes (80 medals) and representatives of the GDR. The first place at the 1980 Olympics was taken by the USSR national team, the second - by the GDR, the third - by Bulgaria.
The choice of the symbol of the Games was an undoubted success. The Olympic Bear, or Mikhail Potapych Toptygin, was created by the children's illustrator Viktor Chizhikov. The closing scene of the Summer Olympics is still touching for many spectators and participants. After the end of the Games, the Soviet authorities received offers to purchase the symbol of the Olympics. But they decided not to sell the huge toy, but to leave it to live out in the warehouse.
