3568 - Aurora, Colorado, United States of America

This is one of my favourite athletic photos. This took place at the Summer Olympics in 1968 in Mexico City. Tommie Smith took the gold medal in the men's 200 m sprint, with Australian Peter Norman taking the silver, and American John Carlos took the bronze. Of course, 1968 in the United States was the peak of the American civil rights movement for African-Americans. Smith and Carlos decided to raised their gloved hands and hang their heads during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner as a form of protest. They also went up the podium barefoot to protest poverty in the United States. They wore beads to protest lynchings that were still happening in the American south. They also wore buttons of the OPHR - Olympic Project for Human Rights.  The crowd booed the two athletes after the anthem was over. 

Prior to the Olympics, Smith advocated the boycott of the 1968 Games unless four conditions were met:

1. Both South Africa and Rhodesia needed to be uninvited to the games;
2. Muhammad Ali's world heavyweight title needed to be restored;
3. Avery Brundage needed to step down as the president of the International Olympic Committee; and
4. more African-American assistant coaches needed to be hired. 

The boycott failed to gained much support, so he and Carlos decided to go barefoot, wear beads, wear gloves, and hang their heads during the anthem. Both athletes received death threats back in the United States.

Peter Norman, the Australian silver medalists wore an OPHR badge to show his support to the American sprinters. Norman also faced backlash in Australia. He was unofficially sanctioned. He was left off the Australian team in 1972 despite recording a qualifying times. He died in 2006 at the age of 64.

Smith and Carlos both gave eulogies and were pallbearers at Norman's funeral. The United States Track and Field Federation proclaimed 9 October 2006 - the day of Norman's funeral - as Peter Norman Day.

Tommie Smith, as I type this, is now 79. After 1968 he continued his track career. He was drafted in 1967 by the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals and was part of the team's taxi (practice) squad for three seasons. He did get into 2 games in 1969, catching one pass for 41 yards. 

John Carlos is also still with us at the age 0f 78. After his track career was over, he was drafted in the NFL in the 15th round. He sustained a knee injury which curtailled his tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles. He moved to the Canadian Football League and played a season with the Montreal Alouettes.