1980 Summer Olympics: History and Background

The 1980 Summer Olympics (Russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, romanized: Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially branded as Moscow 1980 (Москва 1980, Moskva 1980), were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1980 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union. The games were the first to be staged in an Eastern Bloc country. They were also the only Summer Olympic Games to be held in a communist state until the 2008 Summer Olympics held in China. These were the final Olympic Games under the IOC Presidency of Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin before he was succeeded by Juan Antonio Samaranch shortly afterward.

Eighty nations were represented at the Moscow Games, the smallest number since 1956. Led by the United States, 66 countries boycotted the games entirely, because of the Soviet–Afghan War. Several alternative events were held outside of the Soviet Union. Some athletes from some of the boycotting countries (not included in the list of 66 countries that boycotted the games entirely) participated in the games under the Olympic Flag. The Soviet Union later boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Soviet Union won the most gold and overall medals, with the USSR and East Germany winning 127 out of 203 available golds.

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