The British Conservative Party, the Cold War, and the 1980 Olympic Boycott
Abstract
Abstract The Thatcher government's (ultimately unsuccessful) call for a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics generated a protracted debate in British politics and public life. This article explores one aspect of the dispute: the argument within the Conservative Party itself—at a time when Thatcher was vulnerable. It has three parts. First, it recounts the government's developing position, discussing disagreement within its ranks. Second, it examines the position of the Conservative right-wing pressure group, the Monday Club, which argued that the boycott did not go far enough and that a military response was required. Third, it explores the attack on the government, from across the Conservative spectrum, for its willingness to use state power to try to enforce a boycott, which was seemingly at odds with its commitment to the “free society.”
Fields of Study & Subjects
Sport and Mega-Event Impacts
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Olympic Studies
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 25–40
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN