{"product_id":"diplomats-in-tracksuits","title":"Diplomats in Tracksuits","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFascinating and engaging study of the relationship between sport and politics during the Cold War.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy the author of the widely acclaimed \u003ci\u003eSynthetic Medals: East German Athletes’ Journey to Hell\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiplomats in Tracksuits\u003c\/i\u003e uncovers the intriguing stories behind athletes who unwittingly became diplomats, bridging divides between superpowers through the universal language of sport. A must-read for sports and history enthusiasts, this engrossing book:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplores how iconic Cold War sports events, like Nixon’s ping-pong diplomacy and the ‘Miracle on Ice’, helped ease global tensions and foster dialogue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReveals the crucial role of events such as the 1980 Moscow Olympics, and how leaders like Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev navigated these international stages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamines how victories and defeats in events such as the 1972 Summit Series in hockey helped to humanise adversaries and foster mutual respect\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUncovers how human rights were often at the forefront of sports events, such as the famous ‘Black Power salute’ protest at the 1968 Olympics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows how, at the 1960 Olympics, US sprinter David Sime was recruited by the CIA in an attempt to persuade a Soviet long jumper to defect\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLooks at how the boycotts of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics increased Cold War tensions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on meticulous research, \u003ci\u003eDiplomats in Tracksuits\u003c\/i\u003e shows that sports during the Cold War era were not merely games but battlegrounds for promoting political ideologies and asserting the supremacy of the two superpowers – the United States and the Soviet Union – and their allies.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pitch Publishing Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54250199286104,"sku":"9781836801405","price":21.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9781836801405.jpg?v=1765675834","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/diplomats-in-tracksuits","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}