TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustaining identities : Hong Kong and the politics of an Olympic boycott
AU - BRIDGES, Brian
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 and the subsequent critical global focus on the 1980 Moscow Olympics placed Hong Kong and its aspiring Olympians in a dilemma. The Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (ASFandOC) found themselves coming under multiple pressures as politics heavily intruded into sports. Facing international calls for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics, led by the USA but supported strongly by Mrs Thatcher's British government, the Hong Kong government quickly fell into line. Even though the initial stages of the diplomatic sparring between Britain and China over Hong Kong's future had begun and China had only just rejoined the International Olympic Committee, China too was willing to support the boycott. However, the Hong Kong ASFandOC initially resisted, hoping still to be able to send athletes, but as Olympic ideals came up against political realities Hong Kong was forced to join in the international boycott. This article examines the roles of key players in Hong Kong, the external great power influences and the difficulties that Hong Kong faced in sustaining an independent' policy within the Olympic movement.
AB - The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 and the subsequent critical global focus on the 1980 Moscow Olympics placed Hong Kong and its aspiring Olympians in a dilemma. The Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (ASFandOC) found themselves coming under multiple pressures as politics heavily intruded into sports. Facing international calls for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics, led by the USA but supported strongly by Mrs Thatcher's British government, the Hong Kong government quickly fell into line. Even though the initial stages of the diplomatic sparring between Britain and China over Hong Kong's future had begun and China had only just rejoined the International Olympic Committee, China too was willing to support the boycott. However, the Hong Kong ASFandOC initially resisted, hoping still to be able to send athletes, but as Olympic ideals came up against political realities Hong Kong was forced to join in the international boycott. This article examines the roles of key players in Hong Kong, the external great power influences and the difficulties that Hong Kong faced in sustaining an independent' policy within the Olympic movement.
KW - boycott
KW - Moscow
KW - Hong Kong
KW - Olympics
KW - sporting identity
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84893170776&doi=10.1080%2f09523367.2013.858705&partnerID=40&md5=8dda7c25742fb3cb5bcaaae3358136cf
U2 - 10.1080/09523367.2013.858705
DO - 10.1080/09523367.2013.858705
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
SN - 0952-3367
VL - 31
SP - 276
EP - 289
JO - The British journal of sports history
JF - The British journal of sports history
IS - 3
ER -