winter olympics winter olympics winter multi sport event held february california united_states chosen host games meeting undeveloped resort infrastructure venues built cost designed intimate allowing spectators competitors walk nearly venues hosted athletes thirty nations competed sports seven events women speed skating olympic debuts organizers decided events warrant cost build venue time winter olympic program soviet_union dominated medal count winning medals seven gold soviet speed won gold medals swedish cross country added gold silver medals won winter games cold war politics forced debate participation china taiwan north_korea united_states government threatened deny athletes communist countries responded threat right host games united_states conceded allowed entry athletes communist countries host city selection struggling ski resort minimal facilities selection host winter olympics surprise inspired olympic bid newspaper article mentioning nevada anchorage alaska expressed interest games president petitioned california governor support bid host olympic games knight administration agreed recommended california legislature appropriate effort based financial support received state california approved bid january received resolution passed united_states congress signed president calling consider bid games preliminary reports drafted submitted considering bids austria switzerland france valley awarded right host games president warned funds secured april bid awarded committed met requirements april right host winter olympics officially awarded competitors officials european nations angered selection felt alpine ski courses specifications altitude prove athletes organization consisted chair lift rope room lodge presented site blank canvas environment world class ski resort constructed obscurity location closing ceremonies winter olympics traditionally mayor current host city passes flag mayor host city signalling transfer games unincorporated village city government member california asked stand received flag mayor winning right host games formed given years build venues expand infrastructure expansion roads bridges water electrical capacity resort city hotels restaurants administration buildings sheriff office sewage pumping treatment plant constructed support influx visitors games organizers wanted olympics intimate venues close built outdoor skating meter speed skating oval house athletes venue deemed impractical build run organizers felt lack possible high cost building run sufficient leave events olympic program design innovations new technologies games speed skating figure skating ice hockey events held artificial ice time olympic history plant capable heating homes built generate maintain ice heat generated plant warm spectators provide hot water melt snow roofs new timing equipment provided installed clock measure second provided computer capable results printing english french site opening closing ceremonies figure skating ice hockey competitions built gap roof slide closed cables supporting roof contracted cold weather funding initial bid came investors owners existing resort fund construction organizers turned federal government provided quarter million required host games build sports arenas provide military support games funding secured private governor knight successor pat brown remained project seeing means showcase state california world television television new olympic winter games broadcasts events european audiences begun unprecedented sale exclusive united_states television rights broadcast games decided sell television broadcast rights cbs unknown time lucrative sale broadcast rights example cbs purchased rights broadcast summer olympics games cbs broadcast quarter hours television focusing ice hockey speed skating figure skating alpine skiing ski jumping impact television felt games men event officials unsure missed gate asked cbs review tape event request gave cbs idea known instant replay politics athletic competition soviet_union united_states grown intense 1950s opposing interests nations east west_germany china created delicate situation winter games approached particular interest question china allowed participate chinese athletes competed summer games withdrawn dispute taiwan participation separate country united_states supported taiwan soviet_union stood china given fact games held america concern members united_states allow china communist country participate president american announced united_states refused entry country recognized invitation host games resign presidency international pressure united_states allowed athletes communist countries participate china continued demand taiwan expelled demands refused china broke relations ending hope participate problems similar issue china broke north_korea prior korean war recognized olympic committee korea headquartered seoul north_korea recognized separate country maintained existence olympic committee unified team compromise proposed rejected meant athletes south_korea participated prior recognition pressure recognition continued despite fact east west_germany participated unified team conditions unified german team athletes represented neutral flag initially west german officials refused agree stipulation citing fact west german flag winter summer games eventually neutral flag adopted unified german team participated events games held february medals awarded events contested sports disciplines sport added program speed skating events women poll taken indicating countries send team organizers determined removed olympic program despite petitions reconsider organizers felt justify costs constructing run competing nations time winter olympic history events held ice hockey skating figure skating speed skating skiing alpine skiing skiing cross country skiing combined ski jumping opening ceremonies chairman responsible producing opening closing ceremonies organized opening included release military gun salute shots previous winter olympic games opening ceremonies held february arena midst heavy snow fall caused traffic problems delayed ceremony hour festivities began sustained drum roll flags participating nation raised specially designed flag poles vice president richard_nixon represented united_states government declared games open olympic lit olympic champion meter speed skating race winter olympics oslo olympic oath taken behalf athletes national left stadium fireworks concluded ceremonies ice hockey ice hockey tournament took place arena controversy amateur status players overshadowed event canadian olympic officials objected use professional countries especially soviet_union alleged soviets giving elite hockey players phantom jobs military allowed play hockey time gave soviet teams advantage dominate olympic hockey tournaments nearly years issue started coming light games canadian boycott olympic hockey tournament winter olympics team united_states won gold medal defeating favored canadian soviet teams took silver bronze respectively olympic gold medal ice hockey united_states mark time soviet team win olympic tournament united_states victory winter olympics cross country skiing cross country skiing races olympics men women held creek cross country complex soviet women swept kilometer race medal sweep soviets winter olympics upset sweden kilometer relay countries dominated men competition swedish added gold silver medals won add bronze finish olympic career medals decorated winter finnish added gold silver bronze won olympic debut precursor military patrol olympic program olympic games demonstration sport winter olympics competition open members armed forces military patrol fell favor anti military sentiments post world war era took place olympic sport encompassed kilometer cross country race shooting stations ranges sweden olympic champion finland placed second respectively combined combined competition held february normal hill athletes jumps february followed kilometer cross country race german non athlete win event win bronze medal combined norway soviet_union placed second respectively wife competed cross country events winning gold silver ski jumping ski jumping event games men normal hill held february competition expanded include men large hill event german win event joined german ski jumping olympic champions finland austrian earned silver bronze medals figure skating held memorial arena figure skating competition took place february time figure skating held indoors contested outdoors events men women singles pairs competition men event brother winter olympic figure skating champion won gold medal second olympic medal having won bronze took silver medal canadian won bronze winner silver medal olympic champion year later married starred dutch took silver medal finish amateur career olympic gold medal gave united_states figure skating medal competition took bronze soviet_union olympic figure skating debut sending couples compete pairs competition result fact soviet soon come dominate event competition won canadian pair won world championships german pair followed recent european championship victory olympic silver medal american husband wife team ron took bronze speed skating women allowed compete olympic speed skating competition time soviet_union requested inclusion women speed skating events program games request rejected issue revisited games women competing internationally world championship women speed skating agreed events meters events held outdoor skating oval featured artificial ice olympic speed skating competition given altitude artificial ice fastest world evidenced norwegian world record meter event break minute barrier eclipsed previous world record seconds despite victory soviets dominated speed skating events winning races won meter races shared meter gold medal norwegian soviet_union double gold medalist won meter events polish placed second meter event poland medals games second poles win winter olympic medals alpine skiing despite lack facilities resort steep mountain slopes close proximity resulting difficult alpine skiing courses olympic history men women competed downhill giant events held february men downhill won changed sport olympic champion use metal swiss won giant austria champion german won women downhill switzerland won giant canada won united_states multiple medal winner downhill giant closing ceremonies games brought close february memorial arena people flags participating nations followed athletes marched group national flag semi circle national anthems greece nation didn compete united_states austria played respective flags raised president declared games closed point olympic flame extinguished games concluded release thousand balloons calendar dates opening ceremony held february games hockey tournament february event final held day indicates number event finals sport held day venues lack facilities prior olympics gave organizers freedom tailor layout venues fit needs athletes vision intimate games athletes spectators walk venues accomplished exception cross country events held creek drive prior winter olympics athletes housed hotels local families facilities existed organizers decided build olympic village winter games competitors slept ate dining room complex located centrally access sporting facilities peaks surrounding alpine skiing events ladies downhill men giant mountain ladies giant contested peak site men downhill competition prior games concerns persisted courses meet international standards address concerns test event held attending delegates left assured events comply rules specifications constructed officials coaches spectators broadcast radio television peak jumps located directly opposite memorial arena designed hill innovative meter jumps tall trees sides protected athletes wind situated sun competition built host cross country races included portion combined competition consisted timing building competitors course workers accommodate people shooting ranges interspersed course supervised non commissioned officers united_states military centerpiece games hosted opening closing ceremonies jointly hosted figure skating competition speed skating events games hockey tournament sports held indoors artificial ice time olympic history capacity arena accommodated people seated end stadium opened closed depending event ceremonies open allow entrance athletes competitions closed accommodate spectators special machine created ice competitions lay new ice surface meter speed skating track minutes addition ice machine created snow racing lanes roof designed suspension principle cables vertical supports removed visual audience weakened strength roof given annual snowfall designers planned heat generated plant melt snow flaws design load roof bear particularly heavy snowfall portion roof collapsed building subsequently demolished participating nations athletes nations competed games south_africa competed winter games time years policies prevented south african participation athletes west_germany competed number end country denotes number athletes country sent medal count list nations won medals games host nation highlighted blue tie men meter speed skating race like gold medals silver medals awarded
1960 Winter Olympics