6 Times Olympics Were Boycotted

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29 July 2024

The Paris Olympics 2024 got off to a glittering start. An unprecedented and ambitious show with close to 7,000 athletes paraded down the River Seine 

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For the first time in Olympic history, the opening ceremony took place outside the main stadium, with some 300,000 people watching in person 

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However, six times countries officially boycotted the Olympic Games

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In 1956, the Soviet Union invaded Hungary to stop the Hungarian Revolution. To protest about the same, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland all refused to participate

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In 1964, nations including China, North Korea and Indonesia boycotted the Tokyo Olympics, which were the first Games held in an Asian country

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More than 20 African countries and Taiwan boycotted the Games in 1976 when New Zealand's rugby team visited South Africa, defying an international sports embargo

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In 1979, over 60 nations refused to compete in the Moscow Olympic games to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

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14 countries, led by the Soviet Union boycotted the 198 Olympics in retaliation for the US.-led boycott of the Moscow Games 

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In 1988,  Cuba, Ethiopia, Nicaragua and North Korea boycotted the Games after North Korea was not allowed to co-host the Games with South Korea

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