The History of the Olympics:
1976 - Montreal, CanadaThe 1976 Olympic Games were marred by boycotts and drug allegations. Before the Olympic Games, New Zealand's rugby team toured South Africa (still mired in apartheid) and played against them. Because of this, much of the rest of Africa threatened the IOC to ban New Zealand from the Olympic Games or they would boycott the Games. Since the IOC had no control over the playing of rugby, the IOC tried to persuade the Africans not to use the Olympics as retaliation. In the end, 26 African countries boycotted the Games.
Also, Taiwan was excluded from the Games when Canada would not recognize them as the Republic of China.
The drug allegations were rampant at these Olympics. Though most of the allegations were not proven, many athletes, especially the East German women swimmers, were accused of using anabolic steroids. When Shirley Babashoff (United States) accused her rivals of using anabolic steroids because of their big muscles and deep voices, an official from the East German team responded: "They came to swim, not to sing."*
The Games were also a financial disaster for Quebec. Since Quebec built, and built, and built for the Games, they spent the enormous figure of $2 billion, placing them in debt for decades.
On a more positive note, these Olympic Games saw the rise of the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci who won three gold medals.
Approximately 6,000 athletes participated, representing 88 countries.
* Allen Guttmann, The Olympics: A History of the Modern Games. (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1992) 146.
| < < Previous Next > > |
| Histories of the Olympic Games |
|
1896 - Athens 1900 - Paris 1904 - St. Louis 1906 - Athens ("Unoffficial") 1908 - London 1912 - Stockholm 1916 - Not held 1920 - Antwerp 1924 - Paris 1928 - Amsterdam 1932 - Los Angeles 1936 - Berlin 1940 - Not held 1944 - Not held |
1948 - London 1952 - Helsinki 1956 - Melbourne 1960 - Rome 1964 - Tokyo 1968 - Mexico City 1972 - Munich 1976 - Montreal 1980 - Moscow 1984 - Los Angeles 1988 - Seoul 1992 - Barcelona 1996 - Atlanta 2000 - Sydney |
