Olympic Games
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Melbourne, 1956
Fast Facts
Opening date: |
Nov. 22, 1956 |
Multiple Countries
The 1956 Games were held in Melbourne, Australia. Over 3,000 athletes participated from 67 countries. These Olympics were the first where athletic events took place in two countries. This was because the health services of Australia did not allow the horse-back riding events to be carried out in their country. The riding event took place in Stockholm, Sweden. Did you know that the Olympics were also held at third country during 1956? the Olympics were also held in 1956 in Italy. The winter Olympics that is.
Boycotts
The Games were almost cancelled due to an armed conflict both in Europe as well as Africa. In Europe, the Russians had invaded Hungary, while the British and French attacked Egypt in order to regain the Suez Canal. As a sign of protest 6 countries withdrew from the Olympics. The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland because of the events in Hungary and Iraq and Lebanon because of the conflict in Suez. Less than two weeks before the opening ceremony, the People's Republic of China also pulled out because the Republic of China (Taiwan) had been allowed to compete. Although the Games were not cancelled, there were many episodes such as in the water-polo match between Russia and Hungary.
Changes to the Closing Ceremony
Inspired by the Australian teenager John Wing, an Olympic tradition begins when athletes of different nations are allowed to parade together at the closing ceremony, instead of with their national teams, as a symbol of world unity... : "During the Games there will be only one nation. War, politics and nationalities will be forgotten. What more could anybody want if the world could be made one nation." - Extract from a letter by John Ian Wing to the Olympic organisers, 1956. This is a tradition that is continues to this day. This gesture, and the general feeling around the Games, resulted in the Melbourne Games being nicknamed "the Friendly Games". The song that ended the closing ceremony at the 1956 games was 'Will Ye No Come Back Again?'
Trivia
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The Olympic torchbearer for the 1956 Olympics was a virtually unknown 19 year old at the time he carried the torch into the stadium at Melbourne. Ron Clarke went on to become the world's finest distance runner in the 1960s.
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The 1956 Games were the first games to be held in the southern hemisphere.
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Many know of the grudge polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union played at the 1956 Games, soon after the Soviets invaded Hungary, but the result? Hungary won 4-0, then went on to win gold.
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As quarantine laws don't allow the entry of foreign horses, equestrian events were held in Stockholm in June. The rest of the Games started in late November, when it's summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
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There were a few political crises: Lichtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden boycotted the games in protest of the Soviet invasion of Hungary. Egypt, Lebanon, and Iraq did the same as a result of the Suez crisis. The People's Republic of China refused to participate due to the inclusion of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
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East and West Germany were represented by one combined team.
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The Soviets dominated the field, winning 98 medals, while the Americans won 74.
Athletes
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In 1956, the gold medal winning hammer thrower from America, Hal Connolly, won despite a physical disability - his left arm was inches shorter and much less developed that his right.
Related Pages
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
- complete list of Olympic host cities
- Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
- information about Australia's participation at the Olympics
