However , the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 had caused outrage in the west , leading to a boycott of the games by 64 western - aligned nations .
The hosting of the 1980 Summer Olympics by Moscow was a source of pride for the Eastern Bloc .
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 had caused outrage in the west , leading to a boycott of the games by 64 western - aligned nations .
The hosting of the 1980 Summer Olympics by Moscow was a source of pride for the Eastern Bloc .