In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan (sound familiar?). On January 20, 1980, then President Jimmy Carter issued an ultimatum to the Russians that if they did not withdraw, the United States would boycott the Summer Olympics scheduled for Moscow later that year. The USSR did not budge, and the U.S. made good on its threat with a few other nations following suit.
“The United States was ultimately joined in the boycott by some other countries – including Japan, West Germany (Schmidt was able to convince the national Olympic committee not to send a team by a narrow margin), China, the Philippines, Argentina and Canada. Some of these countries competed at the Olympic Boycott Games in Philadelphia. Notably, United Kingdom, France and Australia supported the boycott but allowed their athletes to participate if they wished and left the final decisions to participate in the Games to their respective National Olympic Committees and the individual athletes of the countries concerned. The United Kingdom and France sent a much smaller delegation of athletes than usual. The British equestrian, hockey, and yachting associations boycotted completely. Nevertheless, the delegation of the United Kingdom was the largest among Western Europe, with 170 athletes applying to compete.” Wikipedia.
Even though it’s a hot summer, there is a chill in the air that seems colder than a freezing bank of slalom wickets atop a snow-capped mountain. With a high-level summit between Russian Tsar Vladimir Putin and President Putin cancelled over the former’s grant of temporary asylum to NSA-secrets-leaker Edward Snowden, additional compelling social issues suggest that Russia’s 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi may face an equally harsh response: another boycott.
With strong new Russian legislation, with equally strong majority support among the Russian people, to crush gay rights, the thought that Olympic athletes who just might be gay or lesbian could be subject to arrest was sweeping the world press. “In an interview with the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said: ‘An athlete of nontraditional sexual orientation isn’t banned from coming to Sochi. But if he goes out into the streets and starts to propagandize, then of course he will be held accountable.’” Salon.com, August 1st. Not exactly reassuring, huh?
Hints of a possible U.S. boycott were presented as President Obama appeared on an American late-night talk show: “Obama criticized a new Russian law cracking down on gay rights activism during an interview with NBC's ‘The Tonight Show,’ saying he has ‘no patience for countries that try to treat gays and lesbians and transgendered persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.’
“Russia has said it will enforce the law when it hosts the 2014 Winter Olympics. Asked whether the law would impact the games, Obama said he believes Putin and Russia have ‘a big stake in making sure the Olympics work.’… ‘I think they understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, we wouldn't tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently,’ he said.
“Obama continued, ‘One of the things I think is very important for me to speak out on is making sure that people are treated fairly and justly because that's what we stand for, and I believe that that's a precept that's not unique to America. That's just something that should apply everywhere.’” New York Times, August 7th. For those with tickets to Sochi, they might just want to reconsider, since the Russian habit of digging in its heels to oppose anything that the U.S advocates does not augur well for this Olympic event.
I’m Peter Dekom, and the history of the Olympics in political symbolism continues unabated.
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