Which event is associated with the 1968 Olympics and is often cited for political protest?

• A. 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott
• B. 1972 Munich Olympics/Black September
• C. 1968 Mexico City Olympics
• D. 1984 Los Angeles Olympics

Answer: (C)

The event tests how athletes can use the Olympic stage to push social and political messages. At the 1968 Mexico City Games, two American sprinters on the podium after the 200 meters made a deliberate protest against racial injustice: they each raised a gloved fist during the national anthem, wore black socks to symbolize poverty, and did not sing the anthem. This Black Power salute became the enduring image associated with that Olympics and is frequently cited as a powerful, sports-based political protest. The surrounding context—the Mexican student protests and tensions around the host country—adds to why these Games are remembered for protest, but the iconic moment itself is the strongest link. The other options involve different political actions tied to Olympics (like boycotts) or separate incidents, not the same famous protest moment from the 1968 Games.