Highlights: Romania was the only Warsaw Pact country to participate in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. For all other members of the Eastern European communist bloc, the slogan was boycott. Historians have attributed this Romanian participation in the American games to the political calculations of power in Bucharest. Romania, however, was highly appreciated for coming to Los Angeles despite the boycott by the Soviets and their allies. With a total of 53 medals including 20 gold, Romania has won its sporting bet. “ But not his political bet ” tempers Adrian Cioroianu.

In the midst of the Cold War, the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics were boycotted by the USSR and most communist countries. This is the Kremlin's response to the boycott, four years earlier, by the Americans...

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Los Angeles 1984: the boycott of the East, the luck (and happiness) of Romania

In the midst of the Cold War, the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics were boycotted by the USSR and most communist countries.

It was the Kremlin's response to the boycott, four years earlier, by the Americans and their allies of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. A boycott of around fifty countries due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. In Los Angeles, the Soviets and their allies will not go with 2-3 exceptions.

Thus, China which is participating in its first Olympic Games, but also Tito's Yugoslavia and especially Ceauşescu's Romania will travel to the USA.

Sign of independence from Moscow?

Crazy move?

Participation for money?

Here are some of the questions and mysteries surrounding Romanian participation.

A participation, moreover, historic in sporting terms for the Romanian delegation which will leave Los Angeles with a second place in the medal table.

Opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, July 28, 1984. © AP/Dave Tenenbaum

By: Vasile Damian

Romania

was the only Warsaw Pact country to participate in the

Los

Angeles

Olympic Games .

For all other members of the Eastern European communist bloc, the slogan was boycott.

Historians have attributed this Romanian participation in the American games to the political calculations of power in Bucharest.

Indeed, if in 1980 the Romanians did participate in the

Moscow Olympics

in the name of allegiance to the “big brother” of the East, four years later Romanian-Soviet relations are no longer in good shape.

In addition, Romania needs hard currency and Ceauşescu intends to obtain as much as possible.

Finally, the Romanian dictator also wants to improve his international image thanks to this participation in the Los Angeles Olympics.

For his part, Peter Ueberroth, the head of the organizing committee for the American Olympics, did his best to convince the Romanians – but also other communists, such as the Chinese for example – to come to California.

A Games without the presence of thousands of talented athletes was inconceivable, both on a sporting and financial level.

“

The boycott by the Soviets and their allies was also decided after the signing of the television rights contracts with ABC

,” said historian Adrian Cioroianu in an interview with RFI.

Participation of the Romanian delegation at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. © AP

Following negotiations between the IOC, the Romanian Olympic Committee and the communist authorities in Bucharest with, of course, the approval of Ceauşescu, the Romanians obtained tens of thousands of dollars – some sources mention the sum of 120,000 dollars – for the travel and accommodation of their delegation.

Following Romania's favorable decision, China and Yugoslavia will follow suit.

Romanian participation in the Los Angeles Olympic Games was crowned with an unexpected and historic success.

Never before, nor since 1984, has Romania collected so many medals.

The 124 Romanian athletes placed second in the world medal standings, just behind the American hosts.

With a total of 53 medals including 20 gold, Romania has won its sporting bet.

“

But not his political bet

” tempers Adrian Cioroianu.

Romania, however, was highly appreciated for coming to Los Angeles despite the boycott by the Soviets and their allies.

The Romanian athletes were applauded for a long time when they entered the Olympic Coliseum stadium in the City of Angels.

With, the icing on the cake, American President

Ronald Reagan

in the stands.

In general, the 80s were beneficial for Romanian sport.

From Moscow in 1980, Romanian athletes returned home with 25 medals, including six gold.

Four years later, as we have seen, they recorded a historic performance, the girls even becoming Olympic team champions, a first for Romania.

In this context, gymnastics will become Romania's emblematic sport and a subject of conflict with the USSR.

After the brilliance of Nadia Comăneci in Montreal in 1976 and in Moscow in 1980, Los Angeles will be the scene of Ecaterina Szabo.

The Romanian gymnast of Hungarian origin won on American soil, obtaining no less than five medals alone, four of which were gold.

It's not just the gym that will satisfy the Romanian delegation in Los Angeles.

Athletes from other disciplines, such as Ivan Patzaichin in canoeing, Doina Melinte and Maricica Puica in athletics and Nicu Vlad in weightlifting, will delight the Romanians during these Olympics like no other.

Thierry Terret.

Find all the articles in the “

Olympics: the history of the Games, the Games of History
” series by clicking

here
.

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Los Angeles 1984: the boycott of the East, the luck (and happiness) of Romania

Los Angeles 1984: the boycott of the East, the luck (and happiness) of Romania

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