Ep 005 - Muhammad Ali & the Moscow Olympics

Warming Up to the Cold War

This week's episode takes us back to 1980 and the American-led boycott of the Moscow Summer Games. Join Shelby in learning about the State Department's secret weapon in African diplomacy - none other than boxing legend Muhammad Ali! As we'll find out, this idea sounded great on paper but was mostly unsuccessful, with only 2 of the 5 African nations on the tour deciding to participate in the boycott. Regardless, this episode is important because it highlights the perspective of non-aligned nations on the Cold War and provides an opportunity to learn about Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, Liberia, and Senegal. We also get to explore the impact of the boycott on the Moscow Games and the implications on the selection of the first country to host the Olympics post-COVID.