Module 3 Individual Assignment 1- 1936, 1968, 1972 Olympic Games: Politics and the Modern Olympics

The 1968 Olympic Games Name Institution Course and Code Professor Date The 1968 Olympic Games Introduction The 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City were accompanied by political unrest, civil rights demonstrations, and the Vietnam War. Tensions in Mexico increased after the Tlatelolco Massacre, in which government troops brutally put an end to student protests just days before the Games (Dyer, 2023). This heated atmosphere set the setting for historic demonstrations during the Olympics by highlighting the growing relationship between politics, social justice, and sports. External Context Before, During, and After the Games Before the Games The 1968 Olympics took place amid global and domestic unrest. The Vietnam War, anti-war rallies, as well as the Civil Rights Movement shook the world. After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, riots and racial justice protests erupted throughout the US. The Tlatelolco Massacre, a government-suppressed student protest days before the Olympics, occurred in Mexico, the host nation, amid a political crisis (Elías Jiménez, 2022). These conditions created a politically charged Olympic Games when athletes protested and demanded social change worldwide. During the Games The 1968 Olympics were marked by protests and passionate speeches demanding justice and equality. American athletes raised awareness of racial injustice and human rights issues abroad. At the medal ceremony, Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested against racial discrimination (trg963, 2008). Their protest, coordinated by the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR), challenged the idea that Olympics should remain apolitical in the face of global injustices. After the Games Polarized and dedicated reactions followed the 1968 Olympic protest. Many African Americans and civil rights advocates praised the protests instigated by Smith and Carlos. The white establishment, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), criticized it as inappropriate for the Olympic platform (Hartmann, 2019). Both athletes were barred from t...