Customer Reviews (1)

Big Readable Paperweight
Television has always played a major role in the recent history of the Olympic Games.What alot of people don't realise is that the first television broadcast of this event was the infamous 1936 Berlin Games albeit via a closed circut network within the surrounding areas of the venues. The 1936 games were also the where the first lighting of the Olympic Flame began.

This is where Nigel Blundell picks up with the torch with a quick history of the games (politics, tragedy, drugs etc...)and a very comprehensve history of the results, medals etc with an overview of the stars of the games.

This book was printed before the XXVII Olympiad, 2000 Sydney Games but as it was intended as a complement to them, the venues and Sydney it'self are included in this large and rather heavy to hold and well illistrated book. ... Read more

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This 2nd edition of a highly successful book (published in 2000) provides a comprehensive, critical analysis of the Olympic Games using a multi-disciplinary social science approach. This revised edition contains much new data relating to the Sydney 2000 Games and their aftermath; and preparations for Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games. The book is broad-ranging and independent in its coverage, and includes the use of drugs, sex testing, accusations of power abuse among members of the IOC, the Games as a stage for political protest, media-related controversies, economic costs and benefits of the Games and historical conflicts between organizers and host communities. ... Read more

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The 1900 Olympic Games have been termed "The Farcical Games." The events were poorly organized and years later many of the competitors had no idea that they had actually competed in the Olympics. They only knew that they had competed in an international sporting event in Paris in 1900. No official records of the 1900 Olympics exist. Based primarily on 1900 sources, the sites, dates, events, competitors, and nations as well as the event results are compiled herein for all of the 1900 Olympic events, including archery, track and field, cricket, equestrian, fencing, soccer, pelota basque, water polo, and rowing, among other sports. ... Read more

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VERY INTERESTING BOOK
For those interested in olympic history, especially of the early olympics, this is a must have. The author has been take an herculean task in order to try and explain everybody what events are OLYMPICS and what NOT in an "horrible" and difficult edition of THE OLYMPIC GAMES (PARIS 1900).
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With a thorough exploration of the political climate of the time and the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, this book describes the repercussions of Jimmy Carter’s American boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Despite missing the games they had trained relentlessly to compete in, many U.S. athletes went on to achieve remarkable successes in sports and overcame the bitter disappointment of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity dashed by geopolitics.

Customer Reviews (16)

A compelling argument to keep politics out of sports
As the 2008 Summer Olympics came to an end, my mind wandered back to the 1980 Olympics and the team that didn't travel to Moscow. In the face of the Soviet Union's continued aggression, President Jimmy Carter announced the US Olympic team would not be traveling to Moscow. Hoping to galvanize the rest of the world, Carter withheld the US team hoping other nations would join the boycott and embarrass the Soviet Union into withdrawing troops. At the center was the US Olympic team and athletes who had spent a lifetime preparing for competition. Ultimately, the Olympics continued without the US team and US athletes were relegated to asterisk status... might have beens. Faced with the threat of withheld passports and the US Olympic Committee acting on their behalf, athletes who had spent years single mindedly working towards Olympic competition, athletes were suddenly cut adrift. Left to watch the competition on TV, many were beset by the thought of what might have been. While all the athletes were given a Congressional Medal in recognition of their sacrifice, the athletes were largely unrecognized for their efforts and loss. Only a few went on to capture Olympic glory in the wildly successful LA Olympics four summers later. Most had to let go of the dream and move onto the next phase of their lives. Some athletes banded together and sued, only to be dismissed out of hand.

Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli have gathered the memories of various athletes about that turbulent summer. They blend these memories and the ongoing political wrangling into a comprehensive look at the few who paid a huge price. Described as the "most painful decision" of the Carter administration was later summed up by Vice president Walter Mondale 28 years later. "I know the athletes were asked to pay a price that couldn't be repaid."

Boycott.
I am usually sceptical about reading sports books because many times they devolve into stats, averages and numbers. But as I read this book, I was pleasantly surprised to find a very well written book about an important moment in American history. I was deeply saddened to see how athletes who had slaved and worked so hard to become Olympians, saw their dreams snatched away because of politics.

Olympians have a very short window of opportunity in which to achieve their goals. They make so many sacrifices, physically, mentally, emotionally and in many cases financially. Many who qualified for the 1980 Olympics thought they had it made as they would be able to compete against the best in the world. Unfortunately for them, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and President Jimmy Carter decided that among the ways to show US disapproval would be to enact trade sanctions, food sanctions and withdrawing its athletes from the Olympics which were to be held in Moscow. The saddest part about this was that for many of these athletes, they would never again compete as some were not able to sustain the heights they attained just before the 1980 Olympics. Many found that they were either physically unable to stay in Olympic shape or that they just lost the drive to try again. It is hard to accept that these young people's quest for excellence was thwarted by Carter's need to make a symbolic gesture. What exactly did the boycott achieve? Carter meant to punish the Soviets but in a way he punished the American athletes. Not a single life was saved by anyone not showing up for the games. The conflict in Afghanistan went on for many years after the boycott so what really was accompolished?

I found it ironic the pressure that was put to bear on the USOC to pass a vote to boycott the Olympics. Alot of the rhetoric used is very reminiscent of what I see in politics today. The USOC was told " If the US decides to participate in the Olympics, it would be a tacit approval of Soviet actions" and "If you vote not to support the president, you are doing the worse thing you can possibly do". In addition to all the rhetoric, it appears that undue pressure was applied to sponsors to renege on deals that they had made to the USOC. Of course the government denied any involvement in this but the coincidence is hard to ignore.

Some athletes are still angry, they feel robbed. But the vast majority of the eighteen athletes interviewed for this book, have come to take it in stride. Many believe that the boycott was a bad idea and should not have happened, others think that Carter took the best decision he could under the circumstances and in accordance with his advisers. I have to say that I was very proud of all of the athletes in this book. Despite the fact that their dreams were shattered, most have chosen to see the benefits that Olympic training provided them in all facets of their lives. One of the most disappointing things to see is that to this day Walter Mondale, the then Vice President and a key player in this event, still insists that the right decision was made. Maybe I just wanted him to show that he really understood what he and his government took from these talented people. In the foreward to the book he does acknowledge the loss that these Olympians suffered but I felt it was a bit hollow. Just my view, some one else may read the same thing and think he came across as sincere.

This book is so well constructed as the authors present the story without interjecting any personal agenda. The story unfolds from the mouths of the athletes themselves without any commentary added to sway opinions. As you read you make your own assessments and judgements as to how you feel about what occured. Another strength of the book was that interspersed with the athletes stories is the timeline and unfolding of the conflict in Afghanistan and the political events that led to the boycott. This fact made the book much more than just a sports book but a greatly informative rendering of history. A great read and I would highly recommend.

An Unbiased Story about the Boycott of the 1980 Olympics
In 1980, President Carter made the decision for the United States to boycott the summer Olympics which was to be held in Russia.This decision was made because the United States wanted to make a statement protesting the USSR's brutal invasion of Afghanistan.For the most part, the United States Olympians were devastated by this decision.Many of them had put in thousands of hours training for the opportunity to represent the United States.Many of the athletes were at their peak and this would be the only opportunity that they would have to participate.
"Boycott" tells the stories of the athletes and how President Carter's decision impacted their lives.Information about what was happening at the time is interspersed in between the athlete's stories.I felt that the inclusion of this information makes the book unbiased.If I had just read the athlete's stories, I would have been very angry that this boycott occurred. Having read the history of what was going on; I gained a greater understanding of why President Carter made his decision. I still don't agree with it, but I do have a better understanding.
After reading "Boycott" I agreed with many of the athletes who recommended that the United States not be present during the opening and closing ceremonies. I think that this would have made a greater statement to the world. By not participating at all, I felt like the athletes were being punished, and the USSR was being handed medals that could have been won by many of our athletes.In effect, we were handing them the opportunity to achieve greater fame for their country because they didn't have us to compete with.The effect of our boycott faded in time on everyone, except the athletes who lost their dreams of participating.I was fourteen years old when this happened and had no memory of it until I read this book.If we had participated in the games, but boycotted the ceremonies, I believe that we would still be seeing the clips from the ceremonies, as a reminder, every Olympic year.
The athletes really impressed me.At the time this was happening, most of them were just kids.Some of the insight gained by them is shared in "Boycott." I found many of their attitudes to be inspiring to me.I wish that things could have been different for them.My grandfather was a gold medalist in the 1932 Olympics.He had the opportunity to participate in a rowing event.He was proud of his win, but his true passion was in wrestling.After the Olympics, he decided that he would compete in wrestling in the 1936 games.Unfortunately, a serious neck injury ended that dream.While he was proud of his medal, I always felt that he regretted not being able to represent our country in the sport that he was most passionate about.I felt that this was the case with these athletes; they had some that they were passionate about and wanted to show the world their abilities.By denying them their opportunity to compete, we denied them their chance to shine and we denied ourselves the gift of showing them off to the world as representatives of the United States.
Brothers Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli make a winning writing team.I appreciate their willingness to share both sides of the story.Being that we are in an Olympic year, I was pleased to have the opportunity to learn about an important historical event regarding the Olympics and United States athletes.Considering that the 2008 Olympics took place in a country historically and currently known for its abuse of people, I found the timing of "Boycott" to be perfect.This is definitely a thought compelling book.

Excellent detailed account of an historic event
This is an excellent detailed account of the decisions that lead to and ultimate effect of the 1980 Olympic boycott.Highly recommended.

An eye opening and tragic account of the personal damage done
For some, the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was not just a war; it was the beginning of the end of their dreams. "Boycott: The Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games" tells the stories of America's Olympic caliber athletes during the 80s boycott of the Moscow games. Stories of the people who trained all their life for the ultimate competition yet were denied the opportunity and speculations of gold medals that could have been won lost fill this seminal volume. With a special foreword by former Vice President Walter Mondale, "Boycott" is an eye opening and tragic account of the personal damage done by the 1980 Olympic games boycott.
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The 1912 Olympic Games held in Stockholm, Sweden, were the most "modern" Olympic Games yet celebrated and the most successful of the Modern Era to that date. Much of the success is credited to the influence of Viktor Balck, who is remembered as "The Father of Swedish Sports." The 1912 Olympics also featured new innovations and events. A semiautomatic electrical timing device and a photo-finish camera were used, and the decathlon and modern pentathalon were new events. This work, the sixth in a series on the early Olympics, provides unusually extensive information on the sites, dates, competitors, and nations of the Stockholm games. Results for each event, including cycling, diving, fencing, rowing and sculling, shooting, tennis, water polo, and yachting, among others, are provided. ... Read more

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Countless volumes have been written about Greek civilisation, its achievements, and its significance for the modern world. Anyone wishing to read a systematic, well-documented account of the history and meaning of sport in ancient Greece, however, would have difficulty in finding the relevant books. Ekdotike Athenon felt it incumbent upon itself to present a complete picture of the history of sport and of the Olympic Games, as part of its series of publications. To this end, the aid has been sought of all the specialists who would be able to offer the reader an authoritative account both of the history of the Games, and also of the historical and archaeological data that illuminate this history and make it possible to interpret it. It would be difficult, however, for even the most competent historian to bring to life the world of sport and athletic games without the aid of illustrations. A uniquely rich series of plates and drawings has therefore been included, which will enable the reader to follow the text with ease, and to form a complete and living picture of athletics in Ancient Greece.It is our belief that this volume will be of value and interest to lovers of sport, of the ancient world and of art, and to specialists alike. ... Read more

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National Olympic Games were more closely connected withthe Ancient Greek ideal than the modern international Olympic Games ofde Coubertin. Moreover, such national or regional Olympic Games havenot only been precursors for the international Olympic Games but alsothey have been further developed parallel with the internationalOlympic Movement - even in the 20th century, in Europe, in North andSouth America and in Asia. In the emerging nation states of Europe,both before as well as after the turn of the century, these nationalOlympic Games had a more important function (identity-forming) thanthe Olympic Games. ... Read more

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An overview of the Olympic Games throughout their history; highlighting some of the achievements, records, and humorous and tragic moments; and discussing such aspects as boycotts, terrorism, and drug use. ... Read more

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Both books have wonderful pictures from past Olympics. Interesting comparison of perspectives between 1963 and 1993 ... Read more

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Sports is a key cultural practice throughout the world that has evolved over the past century. This book seeks to enhance our understanding of global Olympic sporting culture through the publication of critically informed, interdisciplinary scholarship in history, sociology, cultural studies, political economy, international relations, and management. ... Read more

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Higher, faster, stronger… The Olympic motto conjures images of heroes whose achievements transcended their athletic prowess, but also of tragedy and disgrace. By 1980, the modern Olympic movement was gasping for breath, bankrupt financially, politically, and culturally. But under the leadership of Juan Antonio Samaranch, and, subsequently, Jacques Rogge, the Olympics began a journey back from the brink. Michael Payne, who served as the International Olympic Committee's top marketer for over twenty years, offers unprecedented access to the people and negotiations behind one of the most dramatic turnarounds in business or sports history. Through a multi-pronged strategy, the IOC managed to secure lucrative broadcasting commitments, entice well-heeled corporate sponsors, and parlay the symbolism of the Olympics into a brand for which cities around the world are willing to invest billions of dollars. Packed with previously untold stories from the high-octane world where business, sports, politics, and media meet, Olympic Turnaround is a remarkable tale of organizational renewal and a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the world's most iconic brand.

The 2008 Games in Beijing, for example, are expected to involve over 10,000 athletes from 200 countries, draw 20,000 media representatives, and generate over $4 billion in sponsorships and broadcasting rights. Packed with previously untold stories from the high-octane world where business, sports, politics, and media meet, Olympic Turnaround is a remarkable tale of organizational renewal and a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the world's most iconic brand.

Customer Reviews (1)

excellent
none of the books out there can show us what had happened inside of the olympics. it consists of many interesting stories that we haven't known yet.

after reading the book, i also realized how important the sports markeing is for companies to try to go to a next level.. ... Read more

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IN 1936, Adolf Hitler welcomed the world to Berlin to attend the Olympic Games. It promised to be not only a magnificent sporting event but also a grand showcase for the rebuilt Germany. No effort was spared to present the Third Reich as the newest global power. But beneath the glittering surface, the Games of the Eleventh Olympiad of the Modern Era came to act as a crucible for the dark political forces that were gathering, foreshadowing the bloody conflict to come.

Customer Reviews (5)

I'm sorry to go against the consensus opinion
But I must. Maybe it is a personal bias, but I can't stand sensationalism with no redeeming qualities. Everything said in this book has been said many times before (see the "related works" on this very page), but the authors find a way to muddle things up in a very negative way. Aims at the lowest instincts of man. Of course, this is the modus operandi of the author which becomes clear if you consider his other works.
Avoid.

THE ONLY THING AMATEUR ABOUT THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE THE COMPROMISED FOOLS WHO RUN THE I.O.C
Guy Walters book is a worth while read. For a time the Nazi party formed an unholy marriage with the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C), just long enough to hold the '36 Olympic Games. Walter's shows the corruption, greed and manipulation of the games by the Nazi party and the I.O.C. But such blatant abuse is hardly exclusive to one regime or country. The sub heading of the book "How the Nazi's Stole the Olympic Dream" is incorrect. The I.O.C were and still is a combination of corrupt, greedy business men and women hiding behind a banner of sporting unity to sell their product; "The Olympic Games." The Nazi's were able to convince fools, anti Semites and appeasers as to the positive outcome of a Berlin Olympics.
The Olympic dream is honored by some individual athletes, but is only a slogan to the I.O.C who would have the world believe they are the world leaders in integrity and selflessness.
Hitler used the Berlin games to give credibility to his regime. In 2008 the Chinese did the same. If the money flows, and human rights violations are hidden or not overly publicized then the show go's on.

Politics and the Berlin Games of 1936.
Very relevant as the world looks to Beijing in 2008.In 1936, the Nazis hosted both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games in Germany.The Nazis used the politics of the Olympic Games to glorify the new Germany.Walters depicts how the Nazis hid the discrimination of the Jews, the political oppression of its opponents, the economic misery, and the military domination to give the world a false picture of the new Germany.Many informed people were not fooled, and told the world that this picture was false.A boycott movement was formed, but the majority of governments chose to look the other way and participate in the games.The games did indeed glorify the German government.Three years later, the World was at War, and the Holocaust began.

Walters summarizes the complete details of these Olympics with all the world politics thrown in.The Nazis lying and barbarous methods are detailed in the selection of German athletes and the politics of holding the Games.It is a wonder so many people were fooled by the methods of this regime.A good read and very relevant today.

A Chronicle of Hypocrisy
This book is an interesting, and long overdue, chronicle of not just the 1936 Olympic Games themselves (held in Hitler's Germany) but also of the many machinations that went on behind the scenes to ensure that the Games would be held despite the Nazis' treatment of the Jews and others considered to be undesirable.

Thus, despite the fact that the Nazis had passed the Nuremberg Laws in 1935 (forbidding, e.g., marriage or sexual relations between Jews and Germans), the International Olympic Committee worked with the Nazis to ensure that the games went on and colloborated in pretending that there was no actual discrimination.

In this regard, placed in a particularly bad light are American sports officials who more often than not were guilty of racism, prejudice, and anti-Semitism against their own citizens.(E.g., much to do was made in the American press about the (apparently false) story that Hitler snubbed Jesse Owens by refusing to shake his hand, yet Jesse Owens came home to a country whose citizens as a whole treated him worse than the Germans he dealt with during the Olympics.)

In the end, however, despite all the much-deserved hoopla about Jesse Owens, the real winners of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games were the Nazis as they impressed the world with their efficiency (a record number of countries, over 4 dozen, participated in the Games) and the Games were a propaganda bonanza for them.For example, the Nazis instituted the practice of carrying the Olympic torch from Olympia to the site of the games, an event which they heavily publicised.In addition, their organization of the Games was impeccable (including premier housing for the athletes), their Olympic Stadium (holding over 100,000 spectators) was a monumental showpiece, and the Games even turned a profit.In this respect, perhaps the most telling moment of the Games was the opening ceremonies when the speaker's podium was decorated not just with the familiar Olympic symbol of five interlocking Olympic rings but a giant German eagle clutching the Olympic rings in its talons.

Interspersed within the story of the politics surrounding these Olympics is a treasure trove of information about the background of many of the athletes (including their personal prejudices) and the events at these Games.

Overall, the book is a very well written and interesting account of the 1936 Olympic Games that exposes much of the hyprocrisy that allowed them to go on after the Nazis came to power and also reveals much about many of the athletes who participated in the Games.

Documents Don't Lie, People Do
The 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin was a watershed moment for sports and politics, with its ramifications rippling through history some 70 years later.

Author Guy Walters does impeccible research of documents and individuals to bring a complete picture of how the Nazi Party virtually took over the International Olympic movement as it set the stage for war. Though the Games were awarded to Germany before the Nazi Party took full control of the government and Hitler was initially not in favor of holding the event, the benefits from a propoganda machine operating from every home to each Olympic venue became too great to pass up.

Though athletic officials and politicians knew about the growing oppression in Germany, Walters uses documents and quotes culled from meetings to show the utter appeasement that occurred. For example, American sports official Avery Brundage had written that Hitler was "a god," and then did everything in his power to successfully discredit and destroy the movement in the U.S. to boycott the competition.

Brundage did not see anything wrong with the Nazi ideal, but he did deal harshly with a top female swimmer on the U.S. team. She was kicked off the squad due to her partying on the ocean liner that was taking the team to Europe.

There were athletes who wanted to use the world stage to destroy the myths surrounding the Nazi movement. A German wrestler - who was a member of the Communist Party - hoped to parlay a winning performance by refusing to give the Nazi salute on the medal stand and use a live-radio interview as a means to tell the world about the real Germany.

There were other athletes who used the Olympics for different goals. A South African boxer was so taken with the Nazi Party that he was later recruited as a spy and became part of a plot to assassinate the president of his nation.

Add in the dress-rehearsal for the summer competition, the 1936 Winter Games in Bavaria, the reoccupation of the Rhineland and legendary athletes like Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe, the Berlin Games was a backdrop to the excellence of competition and the viciousness of totalitarianism.

And in the end, Walters rips apart the screen that so many toadies of the Nazi Party had hid behind for too many years. ... Read more