The Olympics are a unique time when the world comes together to celebrate together and compete in a variety of sporting events.  It is truly a special event which is why countries make such passionate pleas to the Olympic committee in an effort to be picked to host the Olympics.  However, sometimes the Olympics can bring to light troubling situations which cause two nations to not get along.

It was on this day, April 13th, in 1980, that the U.S. Olympic group voted to boycott the Summer Olympic games in Moscow.  The Soviets were at war in Afghanistan, and the goal of the boycott was to protest this war.

Several other countries had already announced the boycott, including Argentina, Canada, Japan, and China.  A few of the countries who boycotted competed in the Olympic Boycott games which took place in Philadelphia, PA.  Other nations, such as France and Australia, agreed with the boycott but allowed its athletes to compete in Moscow if they decided to do so.  Either way, it was a difficult time to be a fan of the Olympics, as the point of the games are to bring the world together, not apart.