The Olympics in Canada were held from July 17 to August 1, 1976 and were almost disrupted due to frequent strikes by builders who managed to hand over the facilities right before the start of the competition. All the precautions taken and the troubles with sports facilities at the Olympics in Canada were repeated thirty years later in Greek Athens.
The number of medals was not equal to two countries from the socialist camp. The USSR and the GDR were able to bypass their main competitor - the United States. And the hostess of the most spectacular sports games has not won a single gold medal.
Beefed up security provided safety
After the tragedy that happened at the Olympics in Munich, where terrorists captured and then killed Israeli athletes, it was decided at the next Olympic Games in Montreal to do everything so that this would not happen again. The organizers spent six times more than planned to ensure the safety of athletes.
Surprisingly, the Olympics in Canada went off without a hitch, not a single incident was recorded. And how could it be otherwise, if the organizing committee involved in the protection of more than 20,000law enforcement officers, Although the total Olympics in Canada brought together 6189 athletes! Many participants of those competitions recall that the policemen performed their duties too zealously and not always correctly.
First huge stadium screens appear in Canada
Technical progress has become the main feature of the Olympics: if at the last games four years ago it was only gradually introduced, then in Montreal it became one of the chips of the organizers of the games. For example, in the main arena of the Olympic Games, where athletics competitions were held, two huge screens were installed. The most interesting competitive moments were broadcast on them, it was even possible to watch slow-motion replays, which was simply unthinkable at that time.
Unique technologies accompanied sports records
The Olympics in Canada had one more "chip". It was the pool where the competitions of swimmers were held. A special device was made in it to extinguish waves, which equalized the chances of athletes. The waves, hitting the sides, interfered with the swimmers who were on the outer lanes, and after the innovation, everyone was placed in the same conditions. It is possible that all these innovations contributed to the establishment of more than eighty Olympic records.
Well, the most memorable moment of all the competitions was the lighting of the Olympic flame, which flared up using completely new technologies. This and many other Montreal, Olympics-76 will be remembered by the fans.
Could it be otherwise…
It is surprising that Moscow could host the Olympics not in 1980, but four years earlier. At one of the congresses of the World Olympic Committee, a city was chosen that would host the main games of the four-year period in 1976. There were three applicants: Montreal, Moscow and Los Angeles. The capital of the USSR was considered the main favorite, the success of Soviet athletes and the fact that the main country of the socialist bloc had not yet hosted such major competitions spoke in favor of Moscow.
The first round of voting confirmed this. Moscow won 28 votes, Montreal had three less, and only 17 votes were cast for the American city. Two capitalist countries had to resort to a ruse to get the Olympics.
American City withdrew in the second round, and all their votes went to Montreal instead of the US. Canada, whose Olympics were scheduled for 1976, won. Since the countries from the socialist bloc dominated most sports, proving their strength to the whole world, they rightfully received the honor of hosting the next Olympics. But that's another story…
