Black athletes not allowed to participate. Gain entry only at the 1904 St Louis Games
Calls for boycott to protest against the Nazis' anti-Semitic, murderous policies, but the IOC doesn't heed them. Black athlete Jesse Owens bags four golds, demolishing the myth of Aryan supremacy.
Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands stay away over the Soviet invasion of Hungary. As do Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq over the fight to control the Suez Canal. China boycotts over Taiwan's participation. At the Games, the Russian and Hungarian water polo teams clash, shedding blood.
To protest against the state of blacks in their country, US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists in black salute. They are expelled from the Olympic Village.
Palestinian militant group Black September kills two Israeli athletes and kidnaps another nine. They and the five kidnappers are killed during a rescue attempt.
28 African nations pull out in protest against New Zealand playing rugby with South Africa, which was suspended from the Olympic movement in 1964 because of its apartheid policy.
62 nations heed the US call for a boycott, in protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Russia retaliates and leads the Eastern Bloc to boycott the Games.
