The 1984 Summer Olympics has become one of the best-organized sporting events in the world. However, the level of competition was negatively affected by the absence of athletes from many countries that boycotted the Olympics, including the USSR and the GDR.
Assessments for the 1984 Olympics are highly controversial. On the one hand, the event was well publicized, and the level of organization of both ceremonies and competitions turned out to be unusually high. On the other hand, the 1984 Games were repeatedly called too commercial, contrary to the very Olympic idea, since the organizers did everything to get as much money as possible as a result, and managed not only to cover their costs, but also to earn an additional huge amount. In addition, the absence of 125 of the strongest world-class athletes who boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics dramatically reduced the level of some competitions from professional to almost amateur.
A total of 6829 athletes from 140 countries participated in the Olympics. They competed in 23 sports, including track and field athletics, rowing, Greco-Roman wrestling, swimming, men's and women's gymnastics, synchronized swimming, diving, field hockey, water polo, cycling, tennis, and shooting. Competitions in rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming for the first time within the framework of the Olympics were held in 1984. Shooting competitions were then divided into men's and women's for the first time.
Due to the absence of strong athletes from many countries, America became the absolute leader at the 1984 Olympic Games. Athletes from the United States managed to win 83 gold, 61 silver and 30 bronze medals. Romania took second place with 20 gold, 16 silver and 30 bronze medals. The third place was taken by athletes from Germany with 17 gold, 19 silver and 23 bronze medals.
Despite the fact that the overall sports level of the Olympics was not high, it was in it that some promising athletes were able to prove themselves. We are talking about Jesse Owens, who received his first gold medal in 1984, Edwin Moses, Elizabeth Lipa, Greg Luganis, Lee Ning, etc. It should be especially noted that it was at the 1984 Olympics that the brilliant career of athletes from China, which had been boycotting the Games for a long time, began.
