You gotta keep 'em separated. That's a lot of people's opinion about mixing sports and politics. But as the world turns its eyes to Italy for the 2026 Winter Games, you have to wonder if this is the ideal place to make a political statement. 

To understand how acts of political activism have played out at the Olympics throughout history, we call up Jules Boykoff. He's the author of numerous books about the Olympics, including What are the Olympics For?

So, are the Olympics fair game for protest? Or should athletes keep their eye on the ball ... or épée ... or curling stone? You get the point. 

You gotta keep 'em separated. That's a lot of people's opinion about mixing sports and politics. But as the world turns its eyes to Italy for the <a href="https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026">2026 Winter Games</a>, you have to wonder if this is the ideal place to make a political statement.&nbsp;
To understand how acts of political activism have played out at the Olympics throughout history, we call up Jules Boykoff. He's the author of numerous books about the Olympics, including <a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-Are-Olympics-Jules-Boykoff/dp/1529230284">What are the Olympics For?</a>
So, are the Olympics fair game for protest? Or should athletes keep their eye on the ball ... or &eacute;p&eacute;e ... or curling stone? You get the point.&nbsp;

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history &mdash; from the Revolutionary War to rock &amp; roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

American History Hotline

American History Hotline with Bob Crawford

Are the Olympics an Appropriate Place for Protest? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/88a49420-5641-4b77-8eda-b3e20165fc98/transcript