1976 Summer Olympics

The 1976 Olympic Games were held in Montreal, Canada. In addition to being the 21st Olympic Games in modern history, they were also the first in Canada.

The bids

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had a real problem in 1970. The United States and the Soviet Union were fiercely trying to get thier bids in Los Angeles and Moscow to be chosen for the 1976 games. The IOC, not wanting to have a conflict, was having a hard time choosing, until they remembered there was a third bid, Montreal.

"ZZZ...wha? I voted for WHO?"

The 1980 games and the 1984 games were later boycotted by the opposing countries, proving the IOC to be right. For once.

Building up to the games

Almost immediatley, Montreal was plagued by delays. The construction workers, being of French origin, brought on a strike that delayed the building of the venues time and time again. As the games came closer and closer, the money being spent went higher and higher. Behind in schedule and up to thier knees in debt, many thought the games would have to be moved, especially after security was to beefed up after the Munich affair. By the time of opening day in 1976, Montreal was millions in debt, the stadium was only half finished, and on the morning of the opening ceremony, the infield grass was just being installed. All in all, it was one of the better Olympic games in recent memory.

This was what it was supposed to look like in 1976.

This was the end result.

The Games begin!

After Queen Elizabeth II opened the games on July 17, the games began. Montreal would have to outdue the Munich games, which honestly was not that hard to do. Still there were plenty of highlights. There were plenty of famous athletes competing.

Taro Aso, the future Prime Minister of Japan, competed on Japan's Rifle team.

"For all those who oppose me, remember, I can shoot accurately from over 500 meters away!"

Princess Anne, the Queens daughter, rode with the British equestrian team.


But then, of course, were the people who actually mattered, the people who won.

The Games.....continue!

Most well known is Nadia Comaneci, the 14-year-old Romanian girl who scored a perfect 10 in gymnastics, the first and only time this has been achieved in the Olympics.

"Damn it! I forgot how to land!"

Coaching her was Bela Karolyi, the mustachiod Romanian who taught her using strict methods and discipline. He would later go on to teach American athletes, who would also win gold.

"You could have done better."

Shun Fujimoto of Japan performed in gymnastics, winning a gold medal, as well as the games badassery award for performing on a broken knee and winning, just to show up the Soviets. He had broken it during a previous event, and just had to do the rings to finish. This he did, dismounting off and landing perfectly, inducing horrible, horrible pain.

"I'm never doing this again."

And finally, decathalon athlete and future creepy guy who is somehow still relevant Bruce Jenner won the gold in the decathalon, setting a world record in an event 99% of people have never watched since.

It's all downhill from here Bruce


After the games ended, Montreal was in such debt, they would'nt pay it all off until 2006. Also, it is fondly remembered by some. Probably not you though.

Who ruined these Olympics? Hippies. Definatley hippies.

Olympic Stadium

As said previously (Man, time flies) the stadium was not completed in time for the games. In what was supposed to be a futuristic stadium with a tower and retractable roof, turned out to be just some concrete slapped together in a big O shape in 1976 (Although it did eeriley predict the future of sports stadiums by having frustrating delays and being unused most of the time). The Montreal Expos of the MLB moved in after the Olympics, but probably regretted it, making the playoffs only once until 2005, when the team moved to Washington for playing in such an empty stadium.

This was considered a large crowd when the Expos played.

As for the stadium, it would take years to finish, with the roof sitting in France until being installed in 1982. And the tower leaning over the stadium was'nt completed until 1988, meaning it took over a decade after the Olympics before the stadium was completed.

Way to go Montreal. Way to go.


For those of you still awake and/or reading, the Olympics also had a mascot, Amik the beaver. That's actually about all that can be wrote for this one.

Look inside yourself. Do you actually care what the mascot of the 1976 Olympics was?