Venues

The 1984 Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles, California, United States. The main venue was the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which had previously hosted the 1932 Summer Olympics. Other key venues included the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, which was used for the men's football competition, and the UCLA campus, which hosted the Olympic Village.

Participating Countries

Despite a boycott by 14 Eastern Bloc countries, including the Soviet Union and East Germany, a record 140 National Olympic Committees participated in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Romania was the only Soviet Bloc country to attend.

Notable Athletes

Carl Lewis (USA) won 4 gold medals in track and field, matching the record set by Jesse Owens in 1936.
Mary Lou Retton (USA) became the first American woman to win the individual all-around gold medal in gymnastics.
Sebastian Coe (Great Britain) and Daley Thompson (Great Britain) each repeated their gold medal performances from the 1980 Olympics in the 1,500m run and decathlon, respectively.
Li Ning (China) won 3 gold medals in gymnastics.
Ecaterina Szabo (Romania) won 4 gold medals in gymnastics.

Notable Fashion

The 1984 Olympics saw the introduction of the 'Coca-Cola' look, with athletes wearing colorful, branded uniforms provided by corporate sponsors.

Theme Song

The theme song for the 1984 Olympics was 'Like to Get to Know You Well' by British pop star Howard Jones, which was released the same week the Games began.

Records Broken

The 1984 Olympics set new records for television viewership, with over 180 million Americans watching and 90% of U.S. households tuning in at some point. The Games also generated a profit of over $250 million, setting a new benchmark for financial success.

New Sports Introduced

Women's events were expanded at the 1984 Olympics, with the addition of cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, and several new track and field events including the women's marathon.

Innovations

The 1984 Olympics saw the increased commercialization of the Games, with corporate sponsors allowed to market their products as 'official' Olympic items. This model of product exclusivity would inspire the creation of the IOC's Olympic Partner program.

Controversies

The 1984 Olympics were boycotted by 14 Eastern Bloc countries, including the Soviet Union and East Germany, in retaliation for the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. This significantly impacted several events, leaving many competitions less competitive.

World Events

The 1984 Olympics took place during the Cold War, with tensions between the United States and Soviet Union still high following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The boycotts reflected the ongoing geopolitical rivalry between the two superpowers.

The Summer Games