The Soviets left Afghanistan eight years later. They didn't leave because of the boycott; they left because they couldn't beat Afghan insurgents. Ironically, the U.S. provided financial support to those insurgents, some of whom are now among the terrorists the U.S. is fighting in the Middle East.

In Marsh's view, those who boycott the Olympics to protest a cause have it all backward. Their cause would be better served by having an Olympics, not by destroying it.

"Barriers are broken down by the Olympics," he says. "To mingle athletes and people from around the world does more to break down human rights problems than a boycott. All a boycott does is create more tension. You need that interaction."

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, would have agreed with Marsh. "The Olympic Games, with the ancient (Greeks), controlled athletics and promoted peace," he wrote in 1896. "Is it not visionary to look to them for similar benefactions in the future?"

What other event brings nations together in so many ways — corporations, politicians, athletes, media, tourists and cultures?

"We believe the boycott doesn't solve anything," said International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge last week, referring to threats over the Tibet issue.

"Almost any position people take about human rights, they should have as many ties as possible to China," said Pete Ueberroth, head of the U.S. Olympic Committee. "But they have to be real ties — ties between athletes, ties between business, ties between friends and tourists."

The Olympics have been chronically politicized of course — Hitler and his Aryan theory in '36, Tommie Smith and Juan Carlos and their black power salute in '68, Black September's murder and mayhem in '72, national boycotts in '56, '76, '80 and '84.

For his part, Marsh never had much of a choice. He was chairman of the Athlete's Advisory Council, which controlled 20 percent of the vote of the USOC. In 1980, Marsh was summoned to the White House, where National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski stated the Carter administration's case for a boycott.

"They put the full-court press on us," recalls Marsh. "The athletes were torn; it was a no-win position. The Olympic committee depends on them for public funding. We had to support the president publicly."

Let's hope that scene doesn't replay itself this year.

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Doug Robinson's column runs on Tuesday. Please send e-mail to drob@desnews.com.