What they hid about the Moscow Olympics-80: Dorovor with thieves, security officials disguised as fans, etc

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In the summer of 1980, the Soviet Union hosted the Olympic Games. Never before have such renowned competitions been held in Eastern Europe. Of course, all funds were thrown into the organization of such a level of event. But, as often happens, politics got in the way. The introduction of the Soviet military contingent into Afghanistan served as a pretext for a boycott of the games by foreigners, and the most crucial stage of preparation took place in the difficult conditions of the Soviet-American confrontation. Despite the high tension, not a single freelance incident happened, and the 1980 Olympics remained one of the most highly organized and peaceful in history.

Geopolitical tensions and the KGB machine in action

The 1980 Olympics were at the height of the Cold War, and the parties could potentially use any opportunity to harm each other. Moreover, the West had much more chances of sabotage - the Union, busy with the preparations for the Olympics, was a convenient target for undermining its reputation. The safety of not only the residents of the city, but also the guests was at risk. Therefore, order and tranquility became the cornerstone for the Soviet leadership, which they undertook to ensure at all costs.

In Moscow, they still well remembered Munich in 1972, when, in the midst of a sports event, terrorists destroyed part of an Israeli sports group. Intelligence reported that foreign special services were developing international tourist channels for carrying out anti-Soviet actions, so that everything suspicious was neutralized instantly. The State Security Committee did not allow thousands of foreigners into the territory of the Land of Soviets, according to the security officials, who pose the slightest danger. At the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Moscow City Executive Committee, a special police unit of trained fighters appeared in case of preventing the most difficult emergencies. The strictest accounting for the storage of any weapons and explosives was organized.

At the time of the Olympics, it was supposed to show the contents of all parcels to the communications workers, and X-rays and metal detectors appeared at the baggage inspection points. Olympic certificates were issued with special protective equipment, and the verification of citizens involved in the organization and maintenance of the Games was carried out with special partiality.

An agreement with thieves in law and the expulsion of excess people for the 101st kilometer

On the eve of the Olympics, government officials tasked the Moscow police with the task of restraining the criminal world. Even the most harmless pickpocket had no right to spoil the impressions of foreigners from visiting the capital. The party leadership demanded that Moscow be cleared not only of the criminal element, but also of the homeless, blackguards, prostitutes, and madmen. And the law enforcement agencies dealt with it with a "five". True, the most radical measures were taken. In one day, more than a thousand criminals of different levels ended up behind bars, and Operation Arsenal confiscated all firearms.

The thieves' authorities gathered in Moscow were brought to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and presented to them an categorical demand by any means to ensure complete order for the duration of the Olympic Games. Representatives of petty criminals were treated less courteously. Over 10 thousand farmers and speculators incurred heavy administrative responsibility before the Olympics, which looked like a warning: "It will get worse!" In the fall of 1979, as a result of Operation Night Moscow, the capital was cleared of illegal taxi drivers. Aggressive mentally ill people were isolated, and beggars, gypsies, criminals and prostitutes were forced to leave for the 101st kilometer. There was no way to return, since during the Olympic Games, entries to Moscow were limited.

Since the spring of 1980, excursions to Moscow for nonresidents have been canceled, business trips have been limited, entry into the capital by personal transport has been restricted, and some trains have been bypassed. Parents were strongly encouraged to send their children to pioneer camps, where shifts were purposefully extended.

Olympic facilities still in operation today

For the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, the Sheremetyevo-2 terminal, a television center with the latest equipment, was erected. Prior to that period, several television channels operated in Moscow, now their number has grown to 21. And the mobile television centers assembled for the 1980 Olympics functioned until recently. In Tallinn, where the regattas were held, a sailing center with training centers has grown, similar facilities have appeared in Sochi. A huge amount of work was done in Leningrad, Minsk, Kiev, where the stages of the Olympic Games were also held. Particularly large-scale was the construction of the Olympic Village in Moscow, which was originally conceived as a future microdistrict, where people on the waiting list would settle with the closing of the Games.

Living conditions there were brilliant - expensive carpets, refrigerators, TVs, kitchens with everything you need. Many trees were planted on the territory of the village, a park area was organized. In general, Moscow appeared to be a clean, spacious and comfortable metropolis for life with convenient infrastructure. On the Chekist foundation (only the Olympic village was guarded by a staff of 4,000 people), an external gloss was imposed. Metro tickets were labeled in several foreign languages, temporary information boards were installed at the stations, and the names of stops were duplicated by an English-speaking announcer. Many roads were repaired within the city limits, a number of hotels were built, increasing the number of beds at least twice. The hotels "Salut", "Izmailovo", "Molodezhnaya", "Sevastopol", "Cosmos", which receive guests today, were put into operation for the Olympic Games.

"McDonald's" - a firm Soviet "no"

When the capital of the USSR was approved as the host of the 1980 Olympic Games, the vice-president of McDonald's R. Cohen made Moscow the expected offer to open several restaurants. The Moscow City Executive Committee thought and refused. After talking with representatives of the capital's public catering, it was decided to rely on domestic gastronomy. And especially patriotic ideologists, not hesitating in expressions, saw in McDonald's the prerequisites for the future corruption of young people. The dragging into a socialist state of the pernicious Western way of life was answered with a harsh refusal. The main sponsor of the Olympic Games and partner of the IOC since 1928, the Coca-Cola company lost to Fante against the background of the sanctions imposed along with the boycott.

I don't know everything, but The USSR did not take part in the Olympic Games until 1952. There were reasons for that.