Soviet Boycott of 1984 Olympics

Date: May 8, 1984 • Location: Los Angeles, United States

The Soviet Union announced the boycott of the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, citing security concerns.

The boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles followed four years after the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The boycott involved nineteen countries: fifteen from the Eastern Bloc led by the Soviet Union, which initiated the boycott on May 8, 1984; and four non‑aligned countries which boycotted on their own initiatives. The boycotting countries organized alternative sporting events called the Friendship Games which were held in various Eastern Bloc countries from July to September 1984. Although the boycott affected Olympic events that were normally dominated by the absent countries, 140 nations still took part in the Los Angeles Games, which was a record at the time.