1. The History of the Modern Olympics –Political, Financial and Moral Issues
Date Host City Major Event
1896
1936
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1996
2004
2008
2012

2. Major Events
Spiraling costs due to increased security and the demand for bigger and
better facilities resulted in these games going bankrupt
USA leads a major boycott in protest of the Soviet Union’s invasion of
Afghanistan
First Olympics held
Controversy over the centenary Games being awarded to Atlanta and
not Athens – Atlanta home to major sponsor Coca-Cola.
Arab terrorists hijacked Israeli athletes in the Olympic village
100m Gold Medalist Ben Johnson is stripped of his medal and title after
failing a drugs test
Two Black American sprinters used to podium of the 200m to stage a
‘Black Power’ protest
On the eve of the opening Ceremony two Greek Sprinters fail to attend
drugs tests and are suspended
‘Tit-for-Tat’ Games - Boycott led by the Soviet Union over security
concerns in the US. Also referred to as the ‘hamburger’ Olympics due to
the over-commericalism
Games used by Hitler as propaganda to promote his Nazi ideals