There were many strange things at this Olympics. Downright mysticism.
In general, the Olympics are such a grand event that a separate website needs to be created to describe them in detail. And so here I would like to note what made the Moscow Olympics in 1980 different from others. Maybe highlight some features.
Olympic Torch Relay
An athlete carries the Olympic flame (public domain)
Competitions and results
Next – competitions. World records. Victories and defeats. 80 gold medals were won by athletes from the USSR (this is first place in the unofficial medal count). Symbolic, isn’t it? 80 medals and the Olympics – 80.
Symbolism and talisman
After the Olympics and to this day you can see such structures (public domain)
Various souvenirs were issued for the Olympics. For example, the “Olympic ruble” became a household name. In general, the series of coins issued for the Olympics included 45 coins (including silver, gold and platinum).
Postal envelope with Olympic symbols and Olympic coin (public domain)
Closing ceremony
The farewell ceremony at that time was more memorable to me personally than the competitions themselves. And the Olympic bear flying away on balloons. And the touching song. I must say that I was in elementary school at the time.
Boycott the Games
Not all countries came to the Olympics in the USSR. Some countries declared a boycott. The reason was the aggravation of the political struggle between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries due to the situation around Afghanistan. 65 countries did not participate. And 80 did. Again 80! Another coincidence?
Alternative games (boycott games) were held in the USA. And 4 years later, on the contrary, alternative games were held in the USSR (a response boycott of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles).
Vladimir Vysotsky
During the Olympics, the poet, musician and actor V. Vysotsky died. According to some estimates, more than 100 thousand people gathered at the Taganka Theatre to say goodbye to Vysotsky.
Materials used:
https://www.kp.ru/putevoditel/olimpiada-80/glavnye-sobytiya/
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%97%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%9E%D0%BB%D 0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%B8%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%8B_1980