the boycott of the 1984 summer olympics in los angeles followed four years after the u.s.-led boycott of the 1980 summer olympics in moscow. the boycott involved 14 eastern bloc countries and allies, led by the soviet union, which initiated the boycott on may 8, 1984. boycotting countries organized another major event, called the friendship games, in july and august 1984. although the boycott led by the soviet union affected a number of olympic events that were normally dominated by the absent countries, 140 nations still took part in the games, which was a record at the time.