The Contemporary Olympic Era.

What were called the modern Olympic Games, the phrase that referred to the revival of the Olympics in 1896, gave way to the contemporary games in 1960. The ideal, championed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Avery Brundage, of international amateur competition held in an arena unaffected by worldly influences was in its death throes. The forces that undermined the ideal — politics, commercialization, and drugs—were introduced in the 1950s, and by the 1960 games their influence was inevitable.

President Brundage.

In 1952 Avery Brundage was elected president of the IOC. He was a controversial choice because members of the international committee feared the power that a president from a superpower nation would wield. The cold war affected most aspects of international relations, and observers feared that an American president would use the games to promote nationalism. Brundage managed to avoid serious...