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Introduction
As the International Olympic Committee (IOC), you are responsible for coordinating the
efforts of the International Sports Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to
organize, execute, and improve the Olympic Games. Your goal should be to “contribute to building
a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of
any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play,”1 though oftentimes the reality is far more
complicated. Throughout history, the IOC has dealt with countless controversies and geopolitical
incidents involving the Olympic Games, during no time is this truer than the time we are in now, the
late 1970s going into the early 1980s.
Because of the highly public and international stage of the Olympics, political controversies
like national sovereignty disputes or international aggression can have huge effects on the outcome
of Olympics. Thus far, the Olympic games have only been canceled twice: once for each World War.
I. Many smaller scale controversies have also caused NOCs to drop out of specific games, often
citing the location of the games or conflicts with another competitor. Even when NOCs decide to
attend the games there is always a potential for controversy, whether it be terrorism, civil unrest, or
other pertinent issues.
Throughout the conference, this body should aim to address the brewing controversies for
the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, particularly given the Black September terrorist attack in
the 1972 Summer Olympics. Additionally, geopolitical developments before these Olympics Games
may create a stressful situation between competitors, and within the IOC. The 1980 Summer
Olympic Games will be occurring in the capital of the USSR, Moscow, in the midst of the Cold War
conflict. It is the responsibility of members of the IOC to handle any conflicts that arise throughout
the conference to the best of their abilities so that the Moscow Olympics can be controversy free.
1 Staff, International Olympic Committee. “The Organisation." 2016, accessed November 02, 2016
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Background
Controversy in Past Olympic Games
The Olympic games, a symbol of international cooperation, have a long history of running
parallel to world conflict, often being forced to adapt alongside international disputes through
decisions issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The 1908 London Olympic Games
was one of the first critical decisions of the IOC. Here, they clarified the meanings between
“sovereign state” and “country.” 2 Prior to the decisions in 1908, athletes could represent any
country, so long as the club they competed for was located in that country.2 Since that decision,
athletes could only represent their native country.
2
The IOC also decided that countries or
dominions under the empire of another country could compete independently .2 For example,
Finland was permitted to enter a separate team from Russia, despite their annexation.2
World War I spurred numerous Olympic disputes. Primarily, the 1916 Olympic games,
which had been slated in Berlin, were cancelled due to violence of the war.3 Initially, the Germans
believed that the war would end quickly and continued their offer to host the games.3 The Allied
powers supported moving the Games to the United States or Switzerland, a move which was
avoided until the German’s use of chlorine gas came to light.2 The final decision came on May of
1915, at which point it was too late to move the Games, so they were cancelled.3
The effects of World War I continued into the 1936 Olympics, which were also supposed to
take place in Berlin. Hitler rose to power in 1933, and believed that the Olympics would be the
ultimate platform for promoting Nazi propaganda.3 As part of his social policy, Hitler had declared
all Jewish athletes in athletic clubs ineligible to compete in the games.3 This declaration spurred a
2 Bill Mallon and Ian Buchanan. The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with
Commentary. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2000. Accessed October 19, 2016, 17.
3 Kristine Toohey, and Anthony James. Veal. The Olympic Games: A Social Science Perspective. Wallingford,
Oxon, UK: CABI Pub., 2007. Accessed October 19, 2016, 92-99. NUMUN XIV • 4
petition to move the Games to alternative location, but this proposal was overturned by the IOC. In
order to appease those countries in opposition to the German games, Germany was required to sign
an agreement to show no discrimination against visiting athletes.3 After the Nuremberg Laws were
adopted, those of Jewish descent were no longer German citizens and therefore not eligible for the
Olympic team.3 As a result, a committee to oppose the games was gathered in Prague, and included
the teams from Russia and Spain.3 The Nazis, aware of growing opposition, poured great amounts
of money and effort into the preparations for the games in order to distract from these accusations.3
The Games of 1940 were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, but the offer was withdrawn in
1938 due to the possibility of violence caused by the Sino-Japanese war.3 Finland was offered the
hosting position, but were forced to halt preparations in May of 1940 due to armed conflict with the
USSR. Henri de Baillet-Latour, IOC president at the time, canceled the games due to the outbreak
of World War II.3 The 1944 Games suffered the same fate, also due to the War.3 The Olympics
resumed in 1948 in London, a choice which many speculated represented IOC’s support of the
Allies 3. The 1948 Olympics also involved implications from the Cold War, and the participation of
the Soviet Union, Germany, and Japan was questioned.3 IOC officials were reluctant to extend an
invitation to the countries, but the issue was easily resolved when none of the countries created
Olympic committees and were automatically ineligible.3
The Munich Massacre
The IOC has had to deal with instances of terror over the course of its existence, and the
1972 Munich Massacre is an incident that still resonates today. At the time, the Arab-Israeli Conflict
was raging in full force, and, on September 5th, a Palestinian terror group named Black September
stormed the Olympic Village in attempt to take Israeli athletes hostage. Two Israeli Athletes died
attempting to fight back against the terrorists, but nine others were eventually taken hostage. The
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terror group insisted that they would release the hostages if Israel released over 200 Arab prisoners
and Germany released two terrorists they had apprehended earlier. Negotiations to free the hostages
eventually broke down; releasing the prisoners simply was not feasible and the hostages were
brought to the Munich airport. Here, a shootout ensued between the terrorists and German police,
causing the death of all of the hostages, one policeman, and two Palestinians.4
Lack of trained security surrounding this event at the Olympic Village resulted in this
tremendous issue. In the 1936 Olympics, Adolf Hitler had used a more militaristic image of
Germany for his own benefit. Because Germany wanted to change this narrative, security was dialed
back for the 1972 Olympics and trained to only deal with nominal issues such as ticket fraud and
drunkenness.5 This shift in security policy turned out to be problematic, as the lack of an immediate
response by security allowed the attack to balloon into a massacre.
This massacre proved to be a wake-up call for the German police, as the botched ambush
and rescue attempt is what truly led to the gunfight that caused a majority of the deaths. The
German police actually met the demands of the terrorists by providing them helicopters, but
planned on ambushing the terrorists with five snipers placed at the airport and some German
policeman dressed as a flight crew from another airplane. However, the policeman that were
supposed to be aboard the plane simply abandoned their post, and the five snipers turned out to be
ordinary policeman with no special training or weaponry.6 One of these snipers later went on to
state, “I am of the opinion that I am not a sharpshooter,” during a German investigation, proving
the lack of planning and training of the German police.7
4 History.com Staff, "Massacre Begins at Munich Olympics”, (History.com 2009).
5 Alexander Wolf, "When The Terror Began”, (Time, September 2, 2002).
6 Anthony Breznican, "Messages from 'Munich”, (USAToday. Gannett Co.,
22 December 2005).
7 Francie Grace, “Munich Massacre Remembered"(CBS News, 5 September 2002)..
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Finally, this tragic event had a prolific impact on most countries’ police forces, as the
concept of a counter-terrorism force was first implemented following the massacre.8 However, this
event did not end the Arab-Israeli Conflict, it only promoted more hostility. Israel had a direct
response to massacre, as they bombed ten PLO bases in Syria and Lebanon on September 8th.
Following this, a Lufthansa flight was hijacked on October 29th and was threatened to be blown up
if the three surviving terrorists from the initial massacre were not released.9
Political Tensions in the late 1970s
Globally, the late 1970s has been a period of many large scale tensions and escalations
besides the looming conflict between socialist and capitalist states. Egypt and Israel made peace after
the bloody 1972 Berlin Olympic Games, several colonies rebelled against their instilled governments,
and the Iranian Revolution had a drastic effect on global politics. The Cold War has caused
increasing tensions throughout the world and, following the Vietnam War, NATO members and
allied nations are especially wary of the USSR’s involvement in Afghanistan. Each of these issues has
a huge bearing on the climate leading up to the 1980 Olympics—creating many difficult situations
the International Olympic Committee would need to maneuver through.
Following thirty years of armed conflict, Israel and Egypt signed a treaty on March 26,
1979.10 After the creation of Israel by the United Nations General Assembly in late 1947, conflict
quickly grew between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Palestine and Israel’s Arab neighbors believed
the new Jewish occupants did not deserve to displace the mostly Arab Palestinians who had resided
in Israel’s land before. Conflict over Israel and Palestine’s sovereignties continued to surge over
8 Peter Chalk Encyclopedia of Terrorism, (ABC-CLIO, 2012). 9 "West Germany Cool to Capitulation Charge” (30 October 1972). Daytona Beach Morning Journal.
10 "1979: Israel and Egypt Shake Hands on Peace Deal - BBC News," March 26, 1979, accessed October 24,
2016
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many years but reached its peak in 1967 when Israeli forces captured the Sinai Peninsula.11 Following
these escalations, in the 1972 Olympics radical Palestinian terrorists committed the Munich
Massacre and reminded the global community of the harsh conflict taking place between Israel and
its neighboring nations.12 The 1970’s conflicts began to decline up to 1977 when Egyptian President
Anwar Sadat visited Israel to negotiate a mutual cessation of war. In 1978 the leaders of these two
nations, President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin met in the United States to
ratified the Camp David Accords which outlines a plan for peace in the Middle East.13 After
receiving a joint Nobel Peace Prize for the Accords, these leaders then signed the official treaty in
1979, ushering in a new atmosphere of peace and cooperation between Israel and the Arab world
for the early 1980’s, including potential cooperation surrounding the 1980 Summer Olympic Games.
Nations aligning with NATO in Blue, With the Soviet Union in Red
1980__the_cold_war__sega_cd_version__by_3d4d-d73tn75.png
11 Peter N. Stearns, “The Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern”(2001)
12 Alexander Wolf, "When The Terror Began”, (Time, September 2, 2002).
13 History.com Staff "Camp David Accords Signed” (History.com, 2010)
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The Cold War has proven to be an ever-constant conflict which has a very strong influence
in politics. Following WWII, the USSR and their allied nations have constantly been at conflict with
NATO members and their allies. The USSR has spread its communist revolutions throughout
Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, worrying the NATO members which have long held power of
those areas. NATO members, like the US and UK, have been quickly building armaments including
nuclear weapons to prepare for a possible direct conflict with the USSR. Technological challenges,
like the Space Race and the USSR’s quick development of nuclear weapons following the US’s, have
only increased the tensions between these blocs. While no direct conflict has broken out yet, the
Vietnam War represented the most recent of the many conflicts between Soviet backed combatants
and US backed fighters. Following the Vietnam War, the United States is in a position of constant
preparation against the overflow of Communism. Many of the Western powers are determined to
contain Communism within the confines of where it currently exists, and Western nations seem to
have growing concern over Afghanistan’s relationship with the USSR. The USSR, which sees itself
as the guardian of a global communist revolution, is equally concerned over Western attempts to
interfere in their just cause.
It has now been about one year since the Afghan centrist government was overthrown by
left wing military officers during the Saur Revolution in mid-1978.14 The state that is formed after
the Revolution is to be known as the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, resulting in the
instillation of Nur Muhammad Taraki, Secretary General of the Marxist People’s Democratic Party
of Afghanistan, as president.15 The new government is led by the Khalq Party and the Parcham Party
which have developed strong relations with the Soviet Union. The two parties have set out on a
campaign to rid Afghanistan of any dissenters or potential political opponents. While these
14 "Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan.
15 Patricia Grossmann. "Crimesof War." Crimes of War – Afghanistan. http://www.crimesofwar.org/a-zguide/afghanistan/.
NUMUN XIV • 9
insurrections have been occurring in Afghanistan, President Taraki’s regime has been in contact with
the USSR about obtaining support from the Soviets in their campaign.16
Moving forward, politics will surely influence the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow.
Tensions are high between nations all over the world, so representatives should strongly consider
political ramifications of their decisions in addition to the well being of the Olympic Games. In this
meeting of the International Olympic Committee, delegates could spend their time focusing on
safety provisions which could be made to protect athletes and spectators. In extreme circumstances,
delegates may also consider delaying or moving the Olympics to ensure they are conducted safely.
NOC delegates which disagree with actions the IOC is taking may choose to withdraw their nation
from the games and IF representatives may withdraw their endorsement of Olympic events. In these
cases other IOC representatives may try to compromise with, threaten, or peacefully acknowledge
these delegates’ withdrawals. Delegates may need to respond to political pressures from their
government or other governments and organizations, and could be forced to choose between acting
in favor of special interests or the IOC as a whole. Delegates should consider which other IOC
representatives have similar interests and consider working together to achieve common goals. The
actions the International Olympic Committee takes will decide the fate of the 1980 Summer
Olympics.
Bloc Positions
IOC President and Vice-Presidents
As President or a Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee, these members
should keep in mind the success of the Olympic Games. With the strong political atmosphere in late
16 Ibid.
NUMUN XIV • 10
1979, these members may also choose to take a side on issues of politics, but are encouraged to look
for compromises to keep the Moscow Summer Games safe, fair, and successful. The approval of
these members in the IOC will be vital in deciding what actions the body will take concerning the
1980 Summer Games. These members generally work closely with International Sports Federation
representatives to ensure the safety and integrity of all Olympic events, but these members may
decide to choose another side for personal gain or general Olympic success. The IOC President and
Vice-Presidents have been accused in the past of taking bribes from NOCs, Governments, and
private organizations to lead the Olympic Committee in a different direction.
NOC representatives of NATO Nations
All NOC representatives’ primary goal in the IOC is generally to make the decisions that are
best for their nation and their nation’s athletes, often with a secondary Goal of ensuring that the
Olympics proceed without controversy. These particular representatives represent the National
Olympic Committee of NATO member states or sympathizers, and may choose to work together as
they have deep political ties during the Cold War. This Bloc includes influential nations such as the
United States, Great Britain, France, Israel, West Germany, and Canada. At this point, NATO
nations are still opposed to the Soviet Union, and are working to prevent the spread of Communism
to susceptible countries. Representatives may choose to take drastic measures in order to ensure they
have the upper hand on Communists. NATO countries have shown their disapproval of
Communist activity in smaller, non-aligned nations, especially in the Middle East. Representatives
may choose to make decisions which undermine the Olympics in order to oppose these actions, but
such decisions could have far reaching consequences. These NOC representatives are likely
receiving strong pressure from their nations’ populations and government officials to ensure that
their nations are given the best treatment and safety throughout the Games, and will likely impress
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upon NOC leaders their political agenda in times of controversy. Representatives may choose to
listen to these pressures or to work with other groups like the IFs and President and VicePresidents.
NOC Representatives of Communist Nations
All NOC representatives’ primary goal in the IOC is generally to make the decisions that are
best for their nation and their nation’s athletes, often with a secondary Goal of ensuring that the
Olympics proceed without controversy. These particular representatives represent the National
Olympic Committee of nations which politically side with the Soviet Union in the Cold War. This
bloc consists of nations like the Soviet Union, China, East Germany, and Vietnam. Politically these
nations conflict strongly with the mindset of NATO affiliated nations; however, these nations’
representatives may be willing to make compromises to ensure the 1980 Summer Olympics in
Moscow go well. Holding the Summer Olympic Games in the Soviet Capital is a chance for these
nations’ representatives to proudly display the success of Communism as a form of government, and
enhance their own national political agendas. These NOC leaders are likely receiving strong pressure
from their governments’ to ensure its success, and these pressures will likely escalate if any political
or domestic controversies occur throughout the conference. Representatives may choose to listen to
these pressures or to work with other groups like the IFs and President and Vice-Presidents.
NOC Representatives of Non-Aligned Nations
All NOC representatives’ primary goal in the IOC is generally to make the decisions that are
best for their nation and their nation’s athletes, often with a secondary Goal of ensuring that the
Olympics proceed without controversy. These particular representatives represent the National
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Olympic Committee of nations which generally politically side neither with NATO affiliated nations
nor those allied with the Soviet Union. These representatives may choose to focus most on finding
compromises in any controversies so that their athletes can safely perform in the Games, or they
may choose to support an agenda which benefits their nation and athletes the most. Some of these
countries include Australia, Iraq, Taiwan, South Africa, and Jordan. While these nations have some
interest in Cold War politics, the preferred course of action for most of these countries is inaction.
Many of them have other political relationships, like Taiwan and China’s conflict, which should be
respected by their NOC representatives. NOC representatives from this Bloc may be wary with
aligning themselves with radical ideas from any other NOC delegate, as they will likely be pressured
by their government and their people to stay neutral in the political controversies surrounding these
Summer Olympic Games. These representatives are especially likely to choose to align themselves
with the President and Vice-Presidents and IFs to ensure their athletes are safe and well represented.
Questions to Consider
• How would past Olympic political controversies affect how the IOC will deal with the conflicts
and tensions in the late 1970s? Are there any specific instances which appear similar to the 1980
Olympics? How so and how did the IOC react?
• Does the athlete perspective hold any weight in the IOC decisions or is it solely political?
• What are the interests of each IOC member in a normal Olympic game? What are the interests of
each member a contentious Olympic Games such as the 1980 games? What is the base of these
interests? Do alliances play a role?
• How will the Cold War affect the tensions in the committee and your country’s interests as a
whole? What other impending conflicts are building?
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• What is the benefit of hosting the Olympics? What are the implications of this responsibility?
• Although there are many similarities to be drawn from past Olympic games, what is different
about the Olympics since past large controversies? How will these changes affect the IOC and
your position specifically?
• What is the purpose of the Olympic Games? Is it a IOC member’s job to uphold these ideals or
work for the interests of their own country?
• What are the potential risks involved with the 1980 Summer Olympics in particular? Which of
these are most important to your particular position?
• What sort of pressures would your IOC member be under from your home nation’s government
and citizens? How may this affect the decisions they make?
Recommended Sources
Staff, History.com (2009) “Massacre Begins at Munich Olympics” History.com, accessed
November 2, 2016, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/massacre-begins-atmunich-olympics
Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "Arab-Israeli wars", accessed November 03, 2016, https://
www.britannica.com/event/Arab-Israeli-wars.
Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "Soviet invasion of Afghanistan", accessed November 03,
2016, https://www.britannica.com/event/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan.
"Camp David Accords and the Arab-Israeli Peace Process." U.S. Department of State. Accessed
November 03, 2016. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1977-1980/camp-david.
Aiton, Katie Scott. "A History of Boycotts of the Olympic Games." Matador Network. August 8,
2016. Accessed November 03, 2016.
NUMUN XIV • 14
http://matadornetwork.com/sports/a-history-of-boycotts-of-the-olympic-games/.
"The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. Response, 1978–1980." Office of the
Historian. Accessed November 03, 2016.
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1977-1980/soviet-invasion-afghanistan.
"Olympic Games Candidature Process." International Olympic Committee. Accessed November
03, 2016. https://www.olympic.org/all-about-the-candidature-process.
"Triumph of Hitler: The Berlin Olympics." The History Place. Accessed November 03, 2016.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/triumph/tr-olympics.htm.
"International Olympic Committee." Olympics.mu. Accessed November 3, 2016.
http://www.olympics.mu/international-olympic-committee.html.
Guttmann, Allen. "The Cold War and the Olympics." International Journal 43, no. 4 (1988):
554-68.
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NUMUN XIV • 15
Peter, Chalk (2012). Encyclopedia of Terrorism. ABC-CLIO. Accessed 23 October, 2016.
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