Why did the USA not compete in the 1980 Olympics? Questions you probably don’t know the answer to

(WTAJ) — With both the Olympics and Paralympics coming to a close and countries across the world celebrating their athletes, let’s take a look back on U.S. history.

The U.S. has only missed one Olympic Games, but why did they miss it? Let’s take a look at some questions you probably didn’t know the answer to.

How long is New Zealand’s 99-mile beach?

Now this one might seem like there is an obvious answer, but is life ever truly that straightforward? Despite its name, the beach isn’t actually 99 miles. It’s only 55 miles in length.

So, why did they name it that? The name is believed to have stemmed from a calculation mistake. Missionaries used to travel by horse and knew that horses could travel around 30 miles a day . They calculated that if it took them just over three days to reach the end of the beach then the beach must be around 99 miles. However, they didn’t take into account that they were much slower on sand.

The Māori name for the beach is Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe and that’s arguably a much more accurate name. It means ‘The Long Beach of Tōhe” and it was named after Māori chief Tōhe. The beach is culturally, historically and spiritually significant in Māori culture.

What two mammals lay eggs?

Thanks to the hit TV show Phineas and Ferb a whole generation of kids grew up wanting a pet platypus. That’s also why if you asked the question, “What mammal lays an egg?” they’d automatically jump to answer with “Platypus!” However, it seems as though most people don’t realize there is a second mammal that lays an egg.

The second one is a spiky and slow-moving creature that’s also native to Australia. It’s the echidnas. The platypus and the four species of echidnas are called Monotremes and are the only mammals to lay an egg . Although they still feed their young milk, instead of using a teat like you’d find on other mammals, the milk is secreted by pores.

In case you didn’t know, the platypus is also one of the very few mammals that are venomous. Male platypus have sharp stingers on their hind feet and use them to deliver blows to any approaching foe.

Why did the United States of America not compete in the 1980 Olympics?

The USA is a powerhouse when it comes to Olympic athletes. From Michael Phelps to Simone Biles to Shaun White to Serena Williams the U.S. has in total won 3,094 medals at the Olympic games. Just this year, the USA got 126 medals (40 golds, 44 silvers and 42 bronzes). However, did you know that in 1980 they boycotted the Olympics?

The reason for the boycott started in 1979. On Dec. 27, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978 . It was the first Soviet military expedition beyond the Eastern Bloc since World War II and marked the end of a period of improving relations in the Cold War .

The 1980 Olympics were hosted in Moscow and the boycott, started by former president Jimmy Carter, led more than 60 countries to refuse to compete. Just 80 countries competed in that year’s Olympics with countries like Canada, Israel, Japan and China sitting on the sidelines.

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