The American and Canadian Decisions to Boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract This article compares the American and Canadian decisions to boycott the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics across three realms. The first section explores how the boycott was decided and executed. It argues that although US President Jimmy Carter was initially hesitant to endorse the boycott, he was quickly persuaded and became a champion of the initiative, whereas Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau was less enthusiastic. The similarities and differences between how the United States Olympic Committee and the Canadian Olympic Association reacted to the decisions of their respective governments are then explored. This article argues that both organizations strongly opposed the boycott but were similarly forced to comply due to financial and political pressures. The final section examines the reaction of the Olympic athletes. It argues that both nations’ athletes opposed the boycott, although US Olympians were more energetic in vocalizing their displeasure.