1968 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international
multi-sport event
held in Mexico City
, Mexico
in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games
hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country (followed in 1992 in Barcelona
, Spain
). It is the first Games ever held in Latin America
, and it was the second after 1964 Summer Olympics
to be hosted outside of Europe
, Australia
, or the United States
. It was also the third Olympic Games to be held in autumn
, then followed by the 1988 Summer Olympics
.
The Mexican Student Movement of 1968
happened concurrently and the Olympic Games were correlated to the government's response.
, West Germany
, Mexico City finished ahead of bids from Detroit, Buenos Aires and Lyon to host the Games.
. Kate Doyle had confirmed the death of forty four people including a soldier named Pedro Gustavo López Hernández. Avery Brundage
, president of the IOC, decided not to cancel the games. In the immediate aftermath of the massacre most prominent Mexicans, with the exception of Octavio Paz
and Carlos Fuentes
, condemned the violence but blamed the students for the massacre. As a response, during the opening ceremony, students flew a bird-shaped kite over the presidential box to shape a black dove as a silent protest for the repression.
Tommie Smith
and John Carlos
, the gold and bronze medalists in the men's 200-meter race, took their places on the podium for the medal ceremony wearing black socks without shoes and civil rights badges, lowered their heads and each defiantly raised a black-gloved fist
as the Star Spangled Banner was played.
Both of them were members of the Olympic Project for Human Rights
.
Some people (particularly IOC president Avery Brundage
) felt that a political statement had no place in the international forum of the Olympic Games. In an immediate response to their actions, Smith and Carlos were suspended from the U.S. team by Brundage and banned from the Olympic Village. Those who opposed the protest said the actions disgraced all Americans. Supporters, on the other hand, praised the men for their bravery.
Peter Norman
, the Australian sprinter who came second in the 200 m race, and Martin Jellinghaus
, a member of the German bronze medal-winning 1600-meter relay team, also wore Olympic Project for Human Rights badges at the games to show support for the suspended American sprinters.
In another incident, while standing on the medal podium after the balance beam event final, Czechoslovakia
n gymnast
Věra Čáslavská
quietly turned her head down and away during the playing of the Soviet national anthem.
The action was Čáslavská's silent protest against the recent Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, and was repeated when she accepted her medal for her floor exercise routine. While Čáslavská's countrymen supported her actions and her outspoken opposition to Communism (she had publicly signed and supported Ludvik Vaculik
's "Two Thousand Words
" manifesto), the new regime responded by banning her from both sporting events and international travel for many years.
The organizers declined to hold a judo
tournament at the Olympics, even though it had been a full-medal sport four years earlier
. This was the last time judo was not included in the Olympic games.
East Germany and West Germany
competed as separate entities for the first time in at a Summer Olympiad, and would remain so through 1988. Barbados
competed for the first time as an independent country.
Also competing for the first time in a Summer Olympiad were British Honduras
(now Belize
), Central African Republic
, Democratic Republic of the Congo
(as Congo-Kinshasa), El Salvador
, Guinea
, Honduras
, Kuwait
, Nicaragua
, Paraguay
, Sierra Leone
, and the United States Virgin Islands
.
Singapore
returned to the Games as an independent country after competing as part of the Malaysian team in 1964.
withdrew its athletes from Cuba
immediately prior to the beginning of the Olympics when the IOC
refused to refer to the country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK.
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
multi-sport event
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
held in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country (followed in 1992 in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). It is the first Games ever held in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, and it was the second after 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
to be hosted outside of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, or the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was also the third Olympic Games to be held in autumn
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
, then followed by the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
.
The Mexican Student Movement of 1968
Mexico 68
The Mexican Student Movement of 1968 was a student movement caused by an ideological clash between generations. Socialism and Capitalism also influenced the students and the government at that time. October 2 and the Silence March are the most important parts of the movement. Students from the IPN,...
happened concurrently and the Olympic Games were correlated to the government's response.
Host city selection
On October 18, 1963, at the 60th IOC Session in Baden-BadenBaden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Mexico City finished ahead of bids from Detroit, Buenos Aires and Lyon to host the Games.
| 1968 Summer Olympics bidding result | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Country | Round 1 | ||||
| Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
 Mexico |
30 | ||||
| Detroit |  United States |
14 | ||||
| Lyon Lyon Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.... |
 Early Modern France |
12 | ||||
| Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent... |
 Argentina |
2 | ||||
Highlights
- In the medal award ceremony for the men's 200 meter race, African-American athletes Tommie SmithTommie SmithTommie Smith is an African American former track & field athlete and wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith won the 200-meter dash finals in 19.83 seconds – the first time the 20 second barrier was broken...
(gold) and John CarlosJohn CarlosJohn Wesley Carlos is a Cuban American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and his black power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy...
(bronze) took a stand for human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
by raising their black-gloved fists1968 Olympics Black Power saluteThe 1968 Olympics Black Power salute involved the African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos giving the Black power salute at the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City...
and wearing black socks in lieu of shoes. The Australian Peter NormanPeter NormanPeter George Norman was an Australian track athlete best known for winning the silver medal in the 200 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. His time of 20.06 seconds still stands as the Australian 200m record. He was a five-time Australian 200m champion...
, who had run second, wore an American "civil rights" badge as support to them on the podium. As punishment, the IOCInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
banned Smith and Carlos from the Olympic Games for life, and Norman was left off of Australia's Olympic team in 1972. - The high elevationElevationThe elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, at 2240 m (7,349.1 ft) above sea level, influenced many of the events, particularly in track and field. No Summer Olympic Games before or since have been held at high elevation. Although a performance reducer for endurance athletes, the thin air contributed to many record-setting jumps, leaps, vaults, and throws, as well as all of the men's track events of 400 meters and less. As a reminder of this fact, one of the promotional articles of these Olympics was a small metallic box labeled "Aire de México" (Air of Mexico), that was "Especial para batir records" (Special for breaking records). - In addition to high elevation, this was the first Olympics to use a synthetic all-weather surface for track and field events; the "Tartan" surface was originally developed by 3M3M3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
for horse racing, but didn't catch on. The tracks at previous Olympics were conventional cinderCinderA cinder is a pyroclastic material. Cinders are extrusive igneous rocks. Cinders are similar to pumice, which has so many cavities and is such low-density that it can float on water...
. - For the first time, East and West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
competed as separate teams, after being forced by the IOC to compete as a combined German teamUnited Team of GermanyThe Unified Team of Germany , competed in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Winter and Summer Olympic Games as a united team of athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic...
in 1956, 1960, and 1964. Beethoven's Ode to JoyOde to Joy"Ode to Joy" is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller, enthusiastically celebrating the brotherhood and unity of all mankind...
was played when East and West Germany arrived in the stadium. - Al OerterAl OerterAlfred Adolf Oerter, Jr. was an American athlete, and a four-time Olympic Champion in the discus throw....
of the U.S. won his fourth consecutive gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the discusDiscus throwThe discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
to become only the second athlete to achieve this feat in an individual event, and the first in track & field (athletics). - Bob BeamonBob BeamonRobert "Bob" Beamon is an American former track and field athlete, best known for his world record in the long jump at the Mexico Olympics in 1968, which remained the world record for almost 23 years until it was broken in 1991 by Mike Powell. This is the second longest holding of this record, as...
of the U.S. lept 8.9 m (29.2 ft) in the long jumpLong jumpThe long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
, an incredible 55 cm (21.7 in) improvement over the previous world record. It remains the Olympic record and stood as the world record for 23 years, until broken by American Mike PowellMike Powell (athlete)Michael Anthony Powell born is a former American track and field athlete, and the holder of the long jump world record.Mike Powell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
in 1991. American athletes Jim HinesJim HinesJames "Jim" Ray Hines is a former American track and field athlete, who held the 100 m world record for 15 years. He was the first sprinter to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters.-Track career:...
and Lee EvansLee Evans (athlete)Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
also set long-standing world records in the 100 m and 400 m, respectively. - In the triple jumpTriple jumpThe triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
, the previous world record was improved five times by three different athletes. - Dick FosburyDick FosburyRichard Douglas "Dick" Fosbury is one of the most influential athletes in the history of track and field. He completely revolutionized the high jump event, inventing a unique "back-first" technique, now known as the Fosbury Flop, adopted by almost all high jumpers today. His method was to sprint...
of the U.S. won the gold medal in the high jumpHigh jumpThe high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
using his unconventional Fosbury flopFosbury FlopThe Fosbury Flop is a style used in the athletics event of high jump. It was popularized and perfected by American athlete Dick Fosbury, whose gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics brought it to the world's attention...
technique, which quickly became the dominant technique in the event. - Věra ČáslavskáVera CáslavskáVěra Čáslavská is a Czech gymnast. Blonde, cheerful and possessing impressive stage presence, she was generally popular with the public and won a total of 22 international titles...
of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
won four gold medals in gymnasticsGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. - Debbie MeyerDebbie MeyerDeborah Elizabeth Meyer is a former American swimmer who won the 200, 400, and 800 m swimming events at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City...
of the U.S. became the first swimmer to win three individual gold medals, in the 200, 400 and 800 m freestyleFreestyle swimmingFreestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
events. The 800 m was a new long-distance event for women. Meyer was only 16 years old, a student at Rio Americano High SchoolRio Americano High SchoolRio Americano High School, colloquially known as Rio, is an American public high school in Sacramento, California, serving students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the San Juan Unified School District. Brian T. Ginter is the principal...
in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. - American swimmer Charles HickcoxCharles HickcoxCharles Buchanan Hickcox was an American swimmer who won four medals at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He won gold in both the 200 and 400 Individual Medleys , gold as part of the world record setting U.S...
won three gold medals (200m IM, 400m IM, 4x100m medley relay) and one silver medal (100m backstroke). - The introduction of dopingDoping (sport)The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
tests resulted in the first disqualification because of doping: SwedishSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
pentathleteModern pentathlonThe modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run...
Hans-Gunnar LiljenwallHans-Gunnar LiljenwallHans-Gunnar Liljenwall is a Swedish modern pentathlete who caused the disqualification of the Swedish men's team at the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City for his alcohol use...
was disqualified for alcoholAlcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
use (he drank several beersBeersBeers can refer to either:* plural of Beer - an alcoholic beverage.* Beers - a town in the Netherlands part of Cuijk mun.* Beers - another town in the Netherlands...
just prior to competing). - John Stephen AkhwariJohn Stephen AkhwariJohn Stephen Akhwari is a Tanzanian former marathon runner. He represented Tanzania in the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.-1968 Olympic marathon:...
of TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
became internationally famous after finishing the marathon, in last place, despite a dislocated knee. - This was the first of three Olympic participations by Jacques RoggeJacques RoggeJacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
. He competed in yachtingYachtingYachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
and would later become the eighth president of the IOCInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
. - Norma Enriqueta Basilio de SoteloNorma Enriqueta Basilio de SoteloNorma Enriqueta Basilio is a Mexican athlete. She often called "Queta Basilio", made history by being the very first woman ever to light the Olympic Cauldron. She was the last one who carried the flame during the 19th Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City on October 12, 1968.She was a national...
of Mexico became the first woman to light the Olympic cauldron with the Olympic flame. - It was the first games at which there was a significant African presence in men's distance running. Africans won at least one medal in all running events from 800 meters to the marathon, and in so doing they set a trend for future games. Most of these runners came from high-altitude areas of countries like KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, and they were well-prepared for the 2240 m elevation of Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. - It was the first games where the closing ceremony was transmitted in color to all the world.
Tlatelolco massacre
On October 2, 1968, ten days before the start of the 1968 Summer Olympics the Plaza de las Tres Culturas was the scene of the Tlatelolco massacreTlatelolco massacre
The Tlatelolco massacre, also known as The Night of Tlatelolco , was a government massacre of student and civilian protesters and bystanders that took place during the afternoon and night of October 2, 1968, in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in the Tlatelolco section of Mexico City...
. Kate Doyle had confirmed the death of forty four people including a soldier named Pedro Gustavo López Hernández. Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
, president of the IOC, decided not to cancel the games. In the immediate aftermath of the massacre most prominent Mexicans, with the exception of Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz Lozano was a Mexican writer, poet, and diplomat, and the winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature.-Early life and writings:...
and Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes Macías is a Mexican writer and one of the best-known living novelists and essayists in the Spanish-speaking world. He has influenced contemporary Latin American literature, and his works have been widely translated into English and other languages.-Biography:Fuentes was born in...
, condemned the violence but blamed the students for the massacre. As a response, during the opening ceremony, students flew a bird-shaped kite over the presidential box to shape a black dove as a silent protest for the repression.
Black Power salute
On October 16, 1968, an action by two African-American sprinters at the Mexico City Olympics shook the sporting world.Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith is an African American former track & field athlete and wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith won the 200-meter dash finals in 19.83 seconds – the first time the 20 second barrier was broken...
and John Carlos
John Carlos
John Wesley Carlos is a Cuban American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and his black power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy...
, the gold and bronze medalists in the men's 200-meter race, took their places on the podium for the medal ceremony wearing black socks without shoes and civil rights badges, lowered their heads and each defiantly raised a black-gloved fist
Raised fist
The raised fist is a symbol of solidarity and support. It is also used as a salute to express unity, strength, defiance, or resistance. The salute dates back to ancient Assyria as a symbol of resistance in the face of violence.-History:Assyrian depictions of the goddess Ishtar show her raising a...
as the Star Spangled Banner was played.
Both of them were members of the Olympic Project for Human Rights
Olympic Project for Human Rights
The Olympic Project for Human Rights or OPHR was an organisation established by sociologist Harry Edwards and others, including noted Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos, in October 1967. The aim of the organization was to protest racial segregation in the United States and elsewhere , and...
.
Some people (particularly IOC president Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
) felt that a political statement had no place in the international forum of the Olympic Games. In an immediate response to their actions, Smith and Carlos were suspended from the U.S. team by Brundage and banned from the Olympic Village. Those who opposed the protest said the actions disgraced all Americans. Supporters, on the other hand, praised the men for their bravery.
Peter Norman
Peter Norman
Peter George Norman was an Australian track athlete best known for winning the silver medal in the 200 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. His time of 20.06 seconds still stands as the Australian 200m record. He was a five-time Australian 200m champion...
, the Australian sprinter who came second in the 200 m race, and Martin Jellinghaus
Martin Jellinghaus
Martin Jellinghaus is a West German former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres....
, a member of the German bronze medal-winning 1600-meter relay team, also wore Olympic Project for Human Rights badges at the games to show support for the suspended American sprinters.
In another incident, while standing on the medal podium after the balance beam event final, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n gymnast
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
Věra Čáslavská
Vera Cáslavská
Věra Čáslavská is a Czech gymnast. Blonde, cheerful and possessing impressive stage presence, she was generally popular with the public and won a total of 22 international titles...
quietly turned her head down and away during the playing of the Soviet national anthem.
The action was Čáslavská's silent protest against the recent Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, and was repeated when she accepted her medal for her floor exercise routine. While Čáslavská's countrymen supported her actions and her outspoken opposition to Communism (she had publicly signed and supported Ludvik Vaculik
Ludvík Vaculík
Ludvík Vaculík is a Czech writer and journalist. A prominent samizdat writer, he is most famous as the author of the "Two Thousand Words" manifesto of June 1968.-Pre-1968:...
's "Two Thousand Words
The Two Thousand Words
"The Two Thousand Words" is a manifesto written by Czech reformist writer Ludvík Vaculík in the midst of the Prague Spring, a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia that began in January 1968 with the election of Alexander Dubček and ended with a Soviet invasion in August.- History...
" manifesto), the new regime responded by banning her from both sporting events and international travel for many years.
Venues
- Agustín Melgar Olympic VelodromeAgustín Melgar Olympic VelodromeThe Agustín Melgar Olympic Velodrome is a velodrome located in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City sports complex located in Mexico City, Mexico. It hosted the track cycling events for the 1968 Summer Olympics....
- Cycling (track) - Arena MéxicoArena MéxicoArena México is an indoor arena in Mexico City, Mexico located in the Colonia Doctores neighboorhood in the Cuauhtémoc borough. The arena is primarily used for professional wrestling, or Lucha libre, shows promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The building is called the "cathedral of lucha...
- Boxing - Avándaro Golf ClubAvándaro Golf ClubAvárando Golf Club is a golf course located in the Valle de Bravo state of Mexico. Located west of Mexico City, it hosted the eventing portion of the equestrian competition for the 1968 Summer Olympics....
- Equestrian (eventing) - Campo MarteCampo MarteCampo Marte is an equestrian venue located next to the National Auditorium in Chapultepec Park, Mexico City.-Events hosted:It hosted the dressage and individual jumping events of the equestrian competitions for the 1968 Summer Olympics...
- Equestrian (dressage, jumping individual) - Campo Militar 1Campo Militar 1Campo Militar 1 is a military installation located between Conscripto and Zapadores Avenue and the Belt Freeway in Mexico City. For the 1968 Summer Olympics, it hosted the riding and running portions of the modern pentathlon competition.-References:...
- Modern pentathlon (riding, running) - Club de YatesClub de YatesClub de Yates de Acapulco is a yachting club located in Acapulco, Mexico. Opened in December 1955, it served as host of the sailing events for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.Since the 1968 Games, the yacht club continues to serve as a sailing venue....
- Sailing - Estadio AztecaEstadio AztecaEstadio Azteca is a stadium in Santa Ursula, Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics....
- Football (final) - Estadio CuauhtémocEstadio CuauhtémocEstadio Cuauhtémoc is a football stadium in Puebla, Puebla .The stadium, which has a capacity of 42,648 seats, is the home of Puebla F.C., it's one of the best and very historical football stadium in Mexico, being currently the fifth biggest stadium in Mexico in term of its capacity. It belongs to...
- Football preliminaries - Estadio Nou CampEstadio Nou CampThe Estadio León, unofficially known as Nou Camp, is a mid-sized football stadium with a seating capacity of 33,943 built in 1967, and located in the city of León, Guanajuato, in the Bajío region of central Mexico. This sport facility is used mostly for football matches and is the home of the Club...
- Football preliminaries - Estadio Olímpico UniversitarioEstadio Olímpico UniversitarioEstadio Olímpico Universitario is a stadium located in Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City. It was built in 1952 and at that time was the largest stadium in Mexico. This stadium has a capacity of 63,186 . During the 50s and the 60s this stadium was used mostly for college American football matches...
- Athletics (also 20 km and 50 km walk), Ceremonies (opening/ closing), Equestrian (jumping team) - Fernando Montes de Oca Fencing HallFernando Montes de Oca Fencing HallThe Fernando Montes de Oca Fencing Hall is an indoor sports venue located in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City area of Mexico City. It hosted the fencing competitions and the fencing part of the modern pentathlon competition of the 1968 Summer Olympics....
- Fencing, Modern pentathlon (fencing) - Francisco Márquez Olympic PoolAlberca Olímpica Francisco MárquezThe Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez is an indoor swimming pool Olympic facility located in Mexico City, Mexico. It has a capacity of 10,000....
- Diving, Modern pentathlon (swimming), Swimming, Water polo - Insurgentes Ice RinkInsurgentes Ice RinkThe Insuregentes Ice Rink is an indoor arena located in Mexico City that hosted the wrestling competitions for the 1968 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1. p. 78....
- Wrestling - Insurgentes TheatreTeatro de los InsurgentesTeatro de los Insurgentes is a theater located on Mexico City's Avenida de los Insurgentes.It was built by José María Dávila in 1953 as part of President Miguel Alemán's program of urban renewal. Dávila commissioned muralist Diego Rivera to paint La historia del teatro, a visual history of the...
- Weightlifting - Jalisco Stadium - Football preliminaries
- Juan de la Barrera Olympic GymnasiumGimnasio Olímpico Juan de la BarreraThe Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera is an indoor arena located in Mexico City, Mexico. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, it hosted the volleyball competitions.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 72, 74....
- Volleyball - Juan Escutia Sports PalacePalacio de los DeportesPalacio de los Deportes is an indoor arena, located in Mexico City, Mexico, within the sports complex Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City, near the Mexico City International Airport and the Foro Sol, in which sports and artistic events are also celebrated. It is operated by Grupo CIE...
- Basketball, Volleyball - Municipal StadiumMunicipal Stadium (Mexico City)Municipal Stadium is a venue located in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City area of Mexico City. The venue hosted the field hockey competitions for the 1968 Summer Olympics....
- Field hockey - National AuditoriumNational AuditoriumNational Auditorium is an entertainment centre located at Paseo de la Reforma #50, Chapultepec in Mexico City right in front of the Polanco hotel zone next to Campo Marte....
- Gymnastics - Revolution Ice RinkRevolution Ice RinkRevolution Ice Rink is an indoor arena located in Mexico City. The rink hosted some of the volleyball competitions for the 1968 Summer Olympics.-Reference:* Volume 2. Part 1. p. 78....
- Volleyball - Satellite CircuitSatellite Circuit (Mexico City)The Satellie Circuit was a temporary cycling venue constructed for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. This venue host the road cycling individual road race and road team time trial events for those games....
- Cycling (individual road race, road team time trial) - University City Swimming PoolUniversity City Swimming PoolThe University City Swimming Pool is located on the Ciudad Universitaria campus of UNAM in Mexico City. For the 1968 Summer Olympics, it hosted some of the water polo competitions.-References:* Volume 2. Part 1. p. 79....
- Water polo - Vincente Suárez Shooting RangeVincente Suárez Shooting RangeThe Vincente Suárez Shooting Range was a temporary firing range constructed in Campo Militar 1 for the 1968 Summer Olympics. During those games, it hosted all of the shooting events, the first time the competitions took place at the same location since 1928. It also hosted the shooting part of the...
- Modern pentathlon (shooting), Shooting - Virgilio Uribe Rowing and Canoeing CourseXochimilcoXochimilco is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period...
- Canoeing, Rowing - ZócaloZócaloThe Zócalo is the main plaza or square in the heart of the historic center of Mexico City. The plaza used to be known simply as the "Main Square" or "Arms Square," and today its formal name is Plaza de la Constitución...
- Athletics (marathon start)
Medals awarded
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
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Modern pentathlon at the 1968 Summer Olympics The modern pentathlon at the 1968 Summer Olympics was represented by two events : Individual competition and Team competition... Rowing at the 1968 Summer Olympics Rowing at the 1968 Summer Olympics featured 7 events, for men only. The events took place at Lake Xochimilco.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*... Sailing at the 1968 Summer Olympics Sailing/Yachting is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad Sailing/Yachting is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad Sailing/Yachting is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad (1896 Olympics in Athens Greece. With the exception of 1904... Shooting at the 1968 Summer Olympics Shooting at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City comprised seven events. A second shotgun event, Skeet, was introduced.-Medal count:-Medalists by event:-References:*... Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, 29 events in swimming were contested. There was a total of 468 participants from 51 countries competing. The United States dominated the competition, winning 52 of 87 medals.-Medal table:-Men's events:... Volleyball at the 1968 Summer Olympics Volleyball at the 1968 Summer Olympics was represented by two events: men's team and women's team. The Olympic Committee initially dropped volleyball for the 1968 Olympics, meeting protests.-Medal table:-Medal summary:-External links:*... Water polo at the 1968 Summer Olympics The Water Polo Tournament at the 1968 Summer Olympics was held from October 14 to October 25, 1968 in Mexico City, Mexico. Australia earned one of sixteen invitations, but the Australian Olympic Committee refused to pay the squad's transportation cost... Weightlifting at the 1968 Summer Olympics The weightlifting competition at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City consisted of seven weight classes, all for men only.It also counted as 1968 World Weightlifting Championships.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:... Wrestling at the 1968 Summer Olympics At the 1968 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal table:-See also:... |
Demonstration sports
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Basque pelotaBasque pelota at the 1968 Summer OlympicsBasque Pelota was a demonstration sport at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. It was the third time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Games in Paris, and a demonstration sport in 1924...
- TennisTennis at the 1968 Summer OlympicsTennis returned to the Summer Olympic program as a demonstration event in 1968. Men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles were held in both a Demonstration tournament and an Exhibition tournament. Both tournaments were held in Guadalajara, Mexico.-Demonstration:-Exhibition:-External...
The organizers declined to hold a judo
Judo at the Summer Olympics
Judo was first included in the Summer Olympic Games at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan. After not being included in 1968, judo has been an Olympic sport in each Olympiad since then. Only male judoka participated until the 1988 Summer Olympics, when women participated as a demonstration sport...
tournament at the Olympics, even though it had been a full-medal sport four years earlier
Judo at the 1964 Summer Olympics
The judo competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics was the first time the sport was included in the Summer Olympic Games. Medals were awarded in 4 classes, and competition was restricted to men only. The competition was held in the Nippon Budokan, which was built to host the competition...
. This was the last time judo was not included in the Olympic games.
Participating nations
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
competed as separate entities for the first time in at a Summer Olympiad, and would remain so through 1988. Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
competed for the first time as an independent country.
Also competing for the first time in a Summer Olympiad were British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
(now Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
), Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(as Congo-Kinshasa), El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, and the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
.
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
returned to the Games as an independent country after competing as part of the Malaysian team in 1964.
| (Host nation) |
Boycotting countries
North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
withdrew its athletes from Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
immediately prior to the beginning of the Olympics when the IOC
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
refused to refer to the country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK.
Medal count
These are the top ten nations that won medals at these Games (host Mexico won 3 of each color of medal):| 1 | 45 | 28 | 34 | 107 | |
| 2 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 91 | |
| 3 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 25 | |
| 4 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 32 | |
| 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 25 | |
| 6 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 15 | |
| 7 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 13 | |
| 8 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 26 | |
| 9 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 17 | |
| 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 13 | |
| 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |