Coca Cola Commercial Promotes the 1980 Olympics (The One We Boycotted) Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, Spawns Olympic Boycott Talk. Russians start invasion Christmas Day, 1979 The Soviet Union began its invasion of Afghanistan on Christmas Day, 1979. On New Years Day, 1980, with already more than 10,000 Russian troops engaged in heavy fighting near Kabul (eventually the … [Read more...] about Carter Announces Olympic Boycott Threat January 20, 1980