The 1972 Summer games became victim to both terrorism and international controversy with ties to the ongoing Cold War situation.
The U.S. basketball Olympic winning streak, which started in 1936, was ended by the Soviet Union team's close victory game.
Other notable athletes at the 1972 games were sixteen-year-old Olga Korbut, whose success in women's gymnastics earned three gold medals for the Soviet Union, and British athlete Mary Peters, who took home the gold in the women's pentathlon.
In wrestling, Dan Gable won the gold medal in the 149-pound weight class without having a single point scored against him.
Originally, Denver, Colorado, was supposed to host the '76 games, but voters rejected a plan to finance the venues needed and the IOC chose Innsbruck instead; the city had already had venues from hosting the 1964 Winter Olympics.