What year did the United States Olympic Committee boycott the Summer Olympics?
On April 12, 1980, The United States Olympic Committee voted to boycott the Summer Olympics in Moscow in response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. In total, 65 nations refused to take part in the games, while 80 countries still sent athletes to compete. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 29, 1979, the bold action to boycott such a popular sporting event was supported throughout the committee. Advisors to the Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev claimed that U.S. President Jimmy Carter was too concerned with the ongoing hostage crisis to respond to the situation in Kabul. However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan extended the conflict in Central Asia and President Carter reacted with measures that were meant to put pressure on the Soviets to withdraw. 