In 1956, boycotting sport was a no-holds-barred act

Le Regard Libre N° 82 - Yves Di Cristino

Between China in February and Qatar in November, the world of sport has probably never seen such timid attempts to boycott major events in over six decades. The United States may have skipped the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow at the height of the Cold War, but few remember 1956, a year so special in every respect. And it also concerns us, as the Swiss Confederation, like seven other nations, proudly decided to boycott the Melbourne Olympics. As for the reasons, they go in all directions.

Le coup de poignard des Etats-Unis lors des Jeux olympiques de Moscou en 1980 a bon dos. Considéré comme un acte politique fort pour certains, quoique grandement disproportionné pour d’autres, la décision du Président Carter refait régulièrement surface. La p