A Diplomatic Mission: Spain and the 1948 London Olympics

In 1948, Spain, under the regime of the General Franco, participated in its first summer Olympics since 1932, following the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Sixty-seven Spanish athletes competed in nine different sports and the reasons why these sports were selected will be analysed here....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of the history of sport 2010-04, Vol.27 (6), p.1080-1103
Main Author: Viuda-Serrano, Alex
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
20th century
Dictatorship
Diplomacy
Fascism
International relations
London
Olympic games
Political history
Spain
Sports
World War Two
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Summary:In 1948, Spain, under the regime of the General Franco, participated in its first summer Olympics since 1932, following the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Sixty-seven Spanish athletes competed in nine different sports and the reasons why these sports were selected will be analysed here. Focusing upon Spanish participation, this article explores the historical importance of the London Olympics for Spain as an international showcase. In order to achieve a balanced view of the attitude of Spain on this Olympiad, it is necessary to analyse both the official documents and the national press, controlled by the state by means of an iron censorship with some signs of a slight openness. Historical analysis of these documents will result in a comprehensive and rigorous study on the Spaniards' perception of the Olympic Games, the athletes' achievements, the attitude of the press and the political use of the event by Franco to gain international acceptance.
ISSN:0952-3367
1743-9035
DOI:10.1080/09523361003656282