In just a few days, the Olympic flame will make its way to the Seine River, where tens of thousands of athletes converge to mark the opening of another summer games. The biggest sporting event in the world has not been on American soil for nearly 30 years, so in this episode we’re going to look back to Atlanta 1996, and I ask… when did the USA last host the Olympics? Special Guests: David Wallechinsky, a historian, TV commentator, and co-founder & former President of the International Society of Olympic Historians. In this episode, David shares his own personal experiences of attending and covering the Olympics. We discuss the corruption and scandal surrounding Atlanta's bid, the tragic Olympic park bombing, and why Atlanta has become a case study for how not to run an Olympic games. Additional Resources: BOOK: The Complete Book of the Olympics by David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky WEBSITE: The International Society of Olympic Historians WEBSITE: 11 Key Moments of Atlanta 1996 VIDEO: The 1996 Atlanta Olympics Opening Ceremony If you enjoy this episode, why not listen back to these: What Makes the Super Bowl so Super? ----------- Thank you for listening to our podcast. It's a labor of love by an American history nerd and his former lecturers at the University of East Anglia, but making it does come at a small cost so if you can spare some change, please check out our Patreon page. Supporters of the show get awesome additional bonus content, access to private community forums, and exclusive invites to the virtual audience on every recording. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices