Cheers at last for Olympians who defied Moscow boycott

The Advertiser

4 days ago

Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics.
The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal.
"When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP.
"I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go.
"There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on."
Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics.
"We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP.
"I wasn't even voting age."
But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister.
While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past.
The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45.
Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate.
Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union.
After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain.
"When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament.
"Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments.
"Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation."
While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord.
Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham.
"For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives.
"The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so.
"That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete."
The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address.
None applauded at its conclusion.
Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors.
He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys.
"Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP.
"I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle.
"I'm so proud of him."
Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics.
The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal.
"When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP.
"I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go.
"There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on."
Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics.
"We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP.
"I wasn't even voting age."
But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister.
While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past.
The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45.
Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate.
Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union.
After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain.
"When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament.
"Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments.
"Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation."
While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord.
Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham.
"For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives.
"The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so.
"That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete."
The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address.
None applauded at its conclusion.
Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors.
He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys.
"Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP.
"I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle.
"I'm so proud of him."
Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics.
The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal.
"When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP.
"I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go.
"There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on."
Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics.
"We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP.
"I wasn't even voting age."
But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister.
While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past.
The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45.
Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate.
Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union.
After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain.
"When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament.
"Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments.
"Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation."
While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord.
Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham.
"For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives.
"The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so.
"That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete."
The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address.
None applauded at its conclusion.
Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors.
He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys.
"Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP.
"I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle.
"I'm so proud of him."
Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics.
The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal.
"When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP.
"I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go.
"There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on."
Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics.
"We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP.
"I wasn't even voting age."
But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister.
While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past.
The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45.
Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate.
Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union.
After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain.
"When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament.
"Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments.
"Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation."
While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord.
Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham.
"For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives.
"The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so.
"That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete."
The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address.
None applauded at its conclusion.
Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors.
He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys.
"Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP.
"I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle.
"I'm so proud of him."