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Inventing Sarajevo as the Ultimate Olympic City

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A Cultural History of the 1984 Winter Olympics

Part of the book series: Modernity, Memory and Identity in South-East Europe ((MOMEIDSEE))

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Abstract

The chapter depicts the emergence of the image of Sarajevo as an ‘oasis of peace’ in the troubled period of rising tensions between the two Cold War blocs in the early 1980s. The analytical focus is on Yugoslavia’s specific geopolitical position and the thereto emerging self-image of Yugoslavia as an ideal Olympic host. This self-image was diligently promoted by Yugoslav media, by national and local political leaderships and by the Sarajevo Olympics Organising Committee. Examining this image-construction in relation to the country’s political mythology and the Olympic ideals of peaceful coexistence among the world nations, the chapter portrays how Olympic Sarajevo managed to change its global image and was no longer primarily associated with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Milan Nikolić, ‘Sarajevo domaćin Zimske Olimpijade 1984’, Sport 19.5.1978, 18.

  2. 2.

    Milan Nikolić, ‘Posla odluke MOK. Nema vremena za predah’, Sport 20.5.1978, 2.

  3. 3.

    One example which catches this excellently is Alija Resulović, ‘Čestitke koje nose obavezu’, Oslobođenje 20.5.1978, 16.

  4. 4.

    D. Vasović, ‘Stepenik prema Olimpijadi’, Borba 15.9.1979, 13.

  5. 5.

    ‘Vaše iskustvo garancija uspeha’, Sport 15.9.1979, 12; ‘Olimpijske igre goleme i skupe’, Sport 20.9.1979, 2; D. Vasović, ‘Stepenik ka Olimpijadi’, Borba 15.9.1979, 13; ‘Impresioniran sam onim što sam video’, Borba 20.9.1979, 12.

  6. 6.

    Miša Vasiljević, ‘Blistava baklja mladosti čarobne splitske noći’, Sport 30.9.1979, 10–11.

  7. 7.

    Among others in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.

  8. 8.

    Different US sportsmen expressed strong opposition to the idea. One of them basketball player, Bill Bradley, winner of the 1964 Olympic gold medal, who, as early as 1976, argued that USA should discontinue its participation in the Moscow Games.

  9. 9.

    Arguably Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign, based on an anti-Détente political platform, also contributed.

  10. 10.

    ‘Sarajevo drugi put na mapi sveta’, Sport 11.2.1984, 12.

  11. 11.

    ‘Veličanstven događaj’, Sport 22.2.1984, 2.

  12. 12.

    ‘Sarajevska razglednica. Oaza prijateljstva’, Borba 17.2.1984, 9.

  13. 13.

    Letter from Scott Sanders to the Mayor of Sarajevo, 22.2.1984, Letter 228. Historijski Arhiv Sarajevo [Sarajevo Historical Archives], Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  14. 14.

    Letter from David James to the Mayor of Sarajevo, Letter 112. Historijski Arhiv Sarajevo [Sarajevo Historical Archives], Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  15. 15.

    Letter from Billy Edd Wheeler to the Mayor of Sarajevo, 21.2.1984, Letter 72. Historijski Arhiv Sarajevo [Sarajevo Historical Archives], Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  16. 16.

    Aziz Hadžihasanović, ‘Ram za lijepo (Nije bilo uzalud)’, Oslobođenje 30.3.1984, 3; ‘Riznica na dlanu (letter Veliko hvala)’, Oslobođenje 31.3.1984, 3; ‘Izazov nove ere (Nezaboravno Sarajevo)’, Oslobođenje 1.4.1984, 2; ‘Predah sa porukom (“Ugrijali ste mnoga srca…”)’, Oslobođenje 2.4.1984, 3; ‘Grad na nogama (Nada u bolji svijet)’, Oslobođenje 3.4.1984, 3; ‘Više od spomena (“Cijena nije važna…”)’, Oslobođenje 6.4.1984, 3; ‘Ništa bez glasa (Grad magnet)’, Oslobođenje 7.4.1984, 3; ‘Osmijeh s obavezom (Gostoljubivost)’, Oslobođenje 8.4.1984, 2.

  17. 17.

    ‘Otvoreno pismo gradu Sarajevu predsednika MOK Huana Antonia Samaranča: Trijumf sporta, mira i olimpijskih ideala (Veličanstven događaj)’, Sport 22.2.1984, 2; ‘Predsednik MOK uputio otvoreno pismo Sarajevu: Trijumf olimpijskom ideala i mira’, Borba 21.2.1984, 10; ‘Samaranovo pismo Sarajevu: Trijumf olimpijskog ideala i mira’, Politika 21.2.1984, 13.

  18. 18.

    ‘Otvoreno pismo gradu Sarajevu predsednika MOK Huana Antonia Samaranča. Trijumf sporta, mira i olimpijskih ideala (Veličanstven događaj)’, Sport 22.2.1984, 2.

  19. 19.

    Already during his visit to Yugoslavia for the 1979 Split Mediterranean Games, Samaranch expressed strong belief that Sarajevo and Yugoslavia would be able to organise Olympic Games of the highest possible standard (D. Vasović, ‘Stepenik prema Olimpijadi’, Borba 15.9.1979, 13.). Later, shortly before the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics, he expressed his belief that these would in fact be the best Olympic Games organised to date (M. Blagojević, ‘Huan Antonio Samaran o ZOI: Najbolje u istoriji!’, Oslobođenje 13.1.1984, 9 and E. Demirović & R. Mučibabić ‘Najbolja Olimpijada do sada’, Borba 1.2.1984, 10.). Finally, in 1994, calling for a truce during the war in Bosnia, he left the Lillehammer Winter Games to pay a brief visit to Sarajevo.

  20. 20.

    In fact, the Lord Killanin withdrew from the position after the US boycott of the Moscow Games, and when overtaking his position Juan Antonio Samaranch stressed that he saw the depoliticisation of sport as his main mission (in ‘Depolitizacija sporta—osnovni zadatak’, Oslobođenje 5.8.1980, 11).

  21. 21.

    Milan Nikolić, ‘Sarajevo domaćin zimske olimpijade 1984’, Sport 19.5.1978, 18.

  22. 22.

    Borislav Radisavljević, ‘Razgovor sa Antom Sučićem: Pobjeda principa olimpizma’, Oslobođenje 22.5.1978, 3.

  23. 23.

    E. Demirović, ‘Priznanje našoj zemlji’, Borba 19.5.1978, 6.

  24. 24.

    ‘Intervju Predsednika SFKJ Trpeta Jakovlevskog Tanjugu (1): Igre u misiji mira’, Borba 13.9.1979, 13.

  25. 25.

    ‘Intervju Predsednika SFKJ Trpeta Jakovlevskog Tanjugu (2): Sport u službi plemenitog’, Borba 14.9.1979, 11.

  26. 26.

    Radomir Vuković, ‘Simbol i znak. Otvoren za sve strane svijeta’, Oslobođenje— kulturni dodatak ‘KulturaUmjetnostNauka’ (50) 29.5.1982, 1.

  27. 27.

    ‘Afirmacija olimpijskog pokreta’, Oslobođenje 3.1.1981, 3.

  28. 28.

    ‘Sarajevo donosi ozdravljenje Olimpijskog pokreta’, Sport (drugo izdanje) 6.2.1984, 8–9.

  29. 29.

    ‘Depolitizacija sporta—osnovni zadatak’, Oslobođenje 5.8.1980, 11.

  30. 30.

    ‘Sarajevo u slavu mira’, Sport 8.2.1984, 1.

  31. 31.

    ‘Igre mira i prijateljstva’, Sport (Specijalni dodatak “Sporta” posvećen Zimskim Olimpijskim Igrama u Sarajevu) 5.2.1984, 7.

  32. 32.

    ‘Sarajevo drugi put na mapi sveta’, Sport 11.2.1984, 12.

  33. 33.

    M. Pr., ‘Olimpijada—izuzetan doprinos ugledu nesvrstane Jugoslavije’, Oslobođenje 4.2.1983, 1.

  34. 34.

    M. Borojević, ‘Sedam dana programa (Pravi putokaz olimpizmu)’, Oslobođenje 16.6.1983, 10.

  35. 35.

    ‘Olimpijska hronika: Jugoslavija idealan olimpijski domaćin’, Oslobođenje 28.12.1983, 12.

  36. 36.

    ‘Zdravica miru i Olimpijadi’, Oslobođenje 3.1.1984, 1.

  37. 37.

    J.F., ‘Olimpijske poruke mira’, Oslobođenje 13.1.1984, 4.

  38. 38.

    For instance in Faruk Midžić, ‘Olimpijsko ruho zajedništva’, Oslobođenje 4.2.1984, 8.

  39. 39.

    Izudin Filipović ‘U ime čovjeka’, Oslobođenje 8.2.1984, 1.

  40. 40.

    ‘Sačuvan duh i šarm olimpizma’, Oslobođenje 10.2.1984, 20.

  41. 41.

    ‘Za “Oslobođenje” pišu—Čedomir Keco (“Dnevnik”, Novi Sad): Šest krug’, Oslobođenje 22.2.1984, 11.

  42. 42.

    ‘Olimpijada za mir’, Borba 4.1.1984, 10.

  43. 43.

    ‘ZOI za ceo svet’, Borba 21–22.1.1984, 16.

  44. 44.

    M. Blagojević, ‘Olimpijada za primer’, Borba 13.1.1984, 10.

  45. 45.

    ‘Odbrojavanje je počelo’, Borba 1.2.1984, 1.

  46. 46.

    D.S., ‘Butros Gali: Ideje nesvrstavanja’, Borba 2.2.1984, 1.

  47. 47.

    ‘Sarajevo širom otvoreno’ & ‘Neka bude mir!’, Borba 7.2.1984, 1.

  48. 48.

    ‘Igre počinju—srećno!’, Politika 8.2.1984, 9.

  49. 49.

    Vladimir Dedić, ‘Na kraju—zadovoljstvo’, Politika 20.2.1984, 12.

  50. 50.

    ‘Velika poruka Sarajeva’, Oslobođenje , 8.10.1983, 1.

  51. 51.

    Vladimir Dedić, ‘Na kraju—zadovoljstvo’, Politika 20.2.1984, 12.

  52. 52.

    ‘Akcija “Oslobođenja”: Olimpijada mira. Ronald Regan: Sarajevo kao inspiracija’, Oslobođenje 19.2.1984, 14.

  53. 53.

    ‘Akcija “Oslobođenja”: Olimpijada mira. Ištvan Buda: Sport i mir su nedjeljivi’, Oslobođenje 19.2.1984, 14.

  54. 54.

    ‘Akcija “Oslobođenja”: Olimpijade mira. Mika Špiljak: Praznik prijateljstva’, Oslobođenje 8.2.1984, 1.

  55. 55.

    The number of overnight stays in Sarajevo more than doubled in the ten years from 1975 to 1984, rising 124%—almost three times as much as Zagreb, which rose 47%, while the number even declined by 12% in Belgrade (VGAJ 1987, 86).

  56. 56.

    ‘Dobro nam došla Olimpijado’, Nedeljna Borba (Specijalni dodatak povodom 14. Zimskih Olimpijskih Igara), 4–5.2.1984, 1.

  57. 57.

    ‘Sarajevska razglednica. Oaza prijateljstva’, Borba 17.2.1984, 9.

  58. 58.

    Zoran Mandžuka, ‘Oaza mira’, Borba 21.2.1984, 2.

  59. 59.

    El. Ka. & B.J., ‘Otvorena vrata Olimpijadi’, Oslobođenje 23.10.1983, 13.

  60. 60.

    6 April was a day celebrated in Sarajevo as liberation day, referring to 6 April 1945 when the city was liberated during the Second World War. The article linked 6/4/1945 to 6/4/1978 in Athens.

  61. 61.

    B. Radosavljević, ‘Od mita do Sarajeva’, Oslobođenje 6.4.1983, 13.

  62. 62.

    ‘Poruke olimpijskih gradova Sarajeva i Los Anđelesa: Igre mira’, Oslobođenje 7.2.1984, 13.

  63. 63.

    B. Radosavljević, ‘Dragocijena iskustva Insbruka’, Oslobođenje 18.12.1980, 12.

  64. 64.

    ‘Pohvale olimpijskom Sarajevu’, Oslobođenje 13.8.1981, 10.

  65. 65.

    Melita Karalić, ‘Drugi o Olimpijadi. Duga između svijetova i vjekova’, Oslobođenje 14.1.1984, 5.

  66. 66.

    Ekrem Avdić, ‘Intervju ‘Nedelje’: S Olimpijadom u 21. vijek’, Oslobođenje —‘Nedelja’, 28.1.1984, 6.

  67. 67.

    Kemal Kurspahić, ‘Pogled preko Atlantika. Sarajevsko olimpijsko ruho’, Oslobođenje 6.2.1984, 2.

  68. 68.

    Ibid.

  69. 69.

    Ibid.

  70. 70.

    ‘Sarajevo—Dragulj olimpizma’, Sport , 25.2.1984, 1; Miša Vasiljević, ‘Sarajevo ‘84 i svet. Dragulj olimpizma’, Sport, 25.2.1984, 7.

  71. 71.

    Kemal Kurspahić, ‘Pogled preko Atlantika. Sarajevsko olimpijsko ruho’, Oslobođenje 6.2.1984, 2.

  72. 72.

    ‘Upis u istoriju svetskog sporta’, Nedeljna Borba (Specijalni dodatak povodom 14. Zimskih Olimpijskih Igara), 4–5.2.1984, 6.

  73. 73.

    ‘Sarajevo drugi put na mapi sveta’, Sport 11.2.1984, 12.

  74. 74.

    Ibid.

  75. 75.

    Here from Knećević-Čečez et al. (1984, 63).

  76. 76.

    M. Arapović, ‘Postolimpijske misli i… Zov biznisa’, Naši dani 805, 24.2.1984, 10.

  77. 77.

    Melita Karalić, ‘Drugi o Olimpijadi. Duga između svijetova i vjekova’, Oslobođenje 14.1.1984, 5.

  78. 78.

    Ibid.

  79. 79.

    Branko Tomić, ‘Dobro došao svijete’, Oslobođenje 3.1.1984, 8.

  80. 80.

    M. Arapović, ‘Postolimpijske misli i … zov biznisa’, Naši dani 805, 24.2.1984, 10.

  81. 81.

    Milomir Marić, ‘Sve o zimskoj olimpijadi: Pred početak Olimpijade. Sneško Belić u bosanskom loncu’, Duga 259, 28.1.1984, 23.

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  1. The Many Roads in Modernity, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Zlatko Jovanovic

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Jovanovic, Z. (2021). Inventing Sarajevo as the Ultimate Olympic City. In: A Cultural History of the 1984 Winter Olympics. Modernity, Memory and Identity in South-East Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76598-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76598-9_5

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