The first ever defeat for the United States basketball team occured in a controversial basketball final against the Soviet Union. Losing 50-51, the Americans have refused to this day to receive their silver medals. For years the USA chased after elusive revenge. However, in 1976 the Soviets lost to Yugoslavia, preventing a re-match in the final. In 1980 the Americans chose not to attend the Moscow Games and the Soviets in turn did not attend the 1984 Los Angeles Games. The teams met again in the semi-final of the 1988 tournament but the Soviets won again, 84-78. By the time the USA sent it's famous "Dream Team" to Barcelona in 1992, featuring Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, the Soviet Union had ceased to exist.

The USA's usual dominance in the 100m sprint came to an end when only one American made it to the final: silver medalist Robert Taylor. Rey Robinson and Eddie Hart may had fared better had they arrived at the stadium on time for their quarter-final heats. Relying on an out-dated schedule, the pair had been relaxing at the Olympic village that afternoon. Hart, however, managed to salvage some of his pride when he ran as part of the 4x100 relay team that won gold, and tied the world record.

	The heaviest competitor in the Munich Games was American Chris Taylor, bronze-medal winner in the freestyle super-heavyweight wrestling competitions. Taylor weighed in at a hefty 205 kilograms (450 pounds).

American swimmer Rick DeMont became the first winner in the history of the Olympic Games to be disqualified for drug-use, after initially winning the 400m freestyle. However, DeMont was not really worthy of this tainted distinction. An asthmatic from childhood, he had suffered an asthma attack the night before the final and was given the drug Marex to ease his breathing. Unfortuantely for DeMont, the remedy contained the illegal substance - ephedrine.