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The 1980 Moscow Olympic Games fell victim to the Cold War conflict between the United States and the then Soviet Union.

To protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979, the U.S called for a full boycott of the Olympics.

Then U.S. president Jimmy Carter first tried, but failed, to force Russia to withdraw its troops or get the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change the host country of the 22nd games.

In the end the U.S.' blanket boycott was joined by more than 60 countries, including West Germany, Canada and Japan, as well as China, Argentina, Iran and the Philippines.

Other countries allowed their national Olympic committees to decide whether to participate or not, and still others left the decision up to the individual athlete.

Several countries found alternative ways to protest, such as skipping the opening ceremony or marching, but under the Olympic flag, not their own.

U.S. sponsors, such as Coca-Cola, and U.S. TV networks, such as NBC, also pulled out, thinking there was no point in appearing or covering the games, since their main audience wouldn't even be watching.

In all 80 countries and regions competed at the Moscow games. While it was the lowest number since the 1956 Olympics, it still amounted to 5,179 athletes from around the globe who succeeded in breaking 33 world records.

Moscow's Lenin Olympic Stadium served as the backdrop for most of the events, including British runners Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett winning the 1,500-meter and 800-meter runs, respectively, to standing ovations from the spectators.

Cuba's heavyweight boxer Teofilo Stevenson garnered his third Olympic gold medal in Moscow, marking another highlight, while homegrown hero Aleksandr Dityatin won eight medals, one in each of the gymnastic competitions, setting a record for the most medals ever won in a single Olympic Games.

Since then, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps has beaten his record.

1980 MOSCOW OLYMPIC GAMES MEDALS TABLE

COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL

Soviet Union 80 69 46 195

East Germany 47 37 42 126

Bulgaria 8 16 17 41

Cuba 8 7 5 20

Italy 8 3 4 15

Hungary 7 10 15 32

Romania 6 6 13 25

France 6 5 3 14

Britain 5 7 9 21

Poland 3 14 15 32

Endit

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