The Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, United States followed the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
The boycott involved 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, including the Soviet Union, Cuba and East Germany (but not Romania), that refused to participate in the 1984 Olympics. The USSR announced its intentions on May 8, 1984, citing security concerns and claiming that "chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria [were] being whipped up in the United States"[1], but most observers[who?] saw it as revenge for the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games, enforced by President Jimmy Carter, in response to the 1979 Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. Among those subscribing to the revenge hypothesis was Peter Ueberroth, the chief organizer of the 1984 L.A. Games, who expressed his views in a press conference after the boycott was announced, on the same day that the Olympic Torch Relay in the United States began in New York City. President Ronald Reagan later stated he believed the Soviets feared some of their athletes might defect.
Iran was the only country not to attend both the 1980 Moscow and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. For different reasons, Libya also boycotted.
The boycott affected a large number of Olympic events that were normally dominated by the absent countries. Boycotting countries organized another major event, called the Friendship Games, in July-August, 1984.
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Boycotting governments
15 or 17 (from different sources) in all, list not complete
- Soviet Bloc
Soviet Union
Cuba
East Germany
Poland
Hungary
Czechoslovakia
Bulgaria
Mongolia
Afghanistan
North Korea
Vietnam
Angola
Ethiopia
Laos
South Yemen
Despite being considered part of the Soviet Bloc, 
Romania permitted its athletes to participate, while South Yemen may not have participated because they were not invited by the IOC.
- Others
The boycott in popular culture
In The Simpsons Season 4 episode "Lisa's First Word", Krusty Burger is featured in a promotion where the characters get free food if they receive a slip that features an event that was "won" by the United States. However the promotion was rigged to feature events in which the Soviets never lose, but that backfired due to the boycott and Krusty Burger lost money. This was based on the McDonalds "If the US Wins, You Win" promotion which promised a Big Mac for every Gold Medal, French Fries for every Silver Medal, and a Coca-Cola for every Bronze Medal. Like the fictional promotion, McDonalds also lost money.
See also
References
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