Olympic Games of summer of 1956

The Olympic Games of summer of 1956 , plays of XVIe Olympiad of the modern era, were organized with Melbourne, in Australia, of the November 22nd to the December 8th 1956. For the first time in the history, the Olympic Games are held in the southern hemisphere.

Because of the legislation on the entries of animals in the Australian territory, the tests of horsemanship are cancelled. Thus, of the 10 to the June 17th 1956, 29 countries take part in the equestrian Plays of Stockholm.

Election of the host city

The International Olympic committee entrusts the organization of the Olympic Games of summer of 1956 to the town of Melbourne during its session of 1949.

Historical context and boycott

The Plays of Melbourne will remain in the history like the first having caused the boycotting of certain countries.

These Olympic Games proceed to 20.000 km of the continent of Europe confronted with major political events: the Hungarian Revolution, the Soviet invasion and the bloody repression which is followed from there. For this reason, the Netherlands, the Swiss and the Spain decide Boycot for the third time these Olympic Games, while Avery Brundage, president of CIO, denounces these events and affirms that " the Olympic Games are competitions between individuals, not between nations ".

Other types of boycott, the Egypt, the Iraq and the Lebanon denounce the presence of Israel to the Olympic Games because of the Crise of Suez Canal. In addition, the China decides to leave Melbourne after the flag of Taiwan was hoisted.

Lastly, both Germany were constrained by the International Olympic committee to train only one team, the team unified of Germany.

Violation of the Olympic charter

For the first time in the history of the Plays, the expensive Olympic charter with Pierre de Coubertin was ridiculed concerning the unity of place. Indeed, an ignored Australian law of CIO at the time of the election of Melbourne in 1949 imposes a six months forty for all the horses entering the country.

In 1954, the International Olympic committee decides to divide into two the organization of the plays. The equestrian tests proceeded consequently with Stockholm from June 10th to 17th 1956.

Olympic sites

August 1st

Opening ceremony

104.000 spectators attend the opening ceremony to the Olympic stadium of the Melbourne Cricket Ground under a choking heat. While the Hungarian athletes are acclaimed with their passage, the Soviet athletes ravel under silence. New a Olympic Hymne is played for the occasion, that of the Polish type-setter Michel Spisak.

Participating nations

Apart from the boycott recorded, 67 countries are present at Melbourne. The Ethiopia, Fiji, the Kenya, the Liberia, the Malaysia, Borneo of North, and the Uganda make their first Olympic appearance.

Five nations nonpresent at Melbourne however took part in the equestrian tests in Stockholm.

Swiss Kampuchea
Spain
Netherlands

Competition

Sports and disciplines

Fight
modern Swimming
Pentathlon
Shooting
Veil
Water polo

Striking facts

the December 6th 1956 took place the semi-final the USSR - Hungary in Water-polo, after the Insurrection of Budapest in October subdued by the Red Army . During the match, the Soviet player Valentine Prokopov gives a blow of head to the Hungarian Ervin Zador. The two teams come to the hands and several players are wounded in the swimming pool. The Australian police force had to intervene to avoid the Lynchage of the Soviet team by the spectators. Hungary was declared victorious and gained the gold medal finally; the USSR gained the small final.

On its ground, the delegation Australia nne obtains excellent results. In Swimming, it gains five titles at the men and three among women. In Athletics, Betty Cuthbert becomes a genuine national heroin by gaining three gold medals.

In athletics, the heroes of these plays are inter alia American Bobby Morrow (3 gold medals), Soviet Vladimir Kuts (2 gold medals) and French Alain Mimoun who gains the test of the Marathon at the 35 years age.

the proof horsemanship organized with Stockholm, the Swedish rider Henri Saint-Cyr military school preserves his in an individual capacities and by teams of raising.

Table of the medals

References

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