We’ve been reading some of the stories about the Olympic Games in the Archive, and have been fascinated by many of the stories.

We noticed that the first political defection at an Olympics took place at the 1948 Games in London, when Marie Provaznikova of Czechoslovakia decided not to return home.

As it’s a report that, as well as highlighting a very moving personal story, also captures the start of ‘the Cold War’ era, we thought we’d post the article here.

There are 100s of terrific articles about the Olympics, from 1896 to 1948, so why not conjure up the Olympian muse visit the website and read some more stories about the Games?

Western Morning News – Thursday 19 August 1948

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000329/19480819/038/0003

Hull Daily Mail – Thursday 19 August 1948

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19480819/002/0001