TORONTO, March 5, 2012 - Canadian publishing house Iguana Books released Sheila Hurtig Robertson's book, Shattered Hopes, Canada's Boycott of the Olympic Games, on March 3, 2012. After more than 30 years of silence, key players will finally share their stories with the world.

"Shattered Hopes takes us behind the scenes to hear firsthand from the Canadian politicians, sport leaders and administrators who battled over the decision to boycott the 1980 Olympic Games. Fascinating, infuriating, and heart-breaking, this book finally gives voice to those athletes and coaches whose Olympic dreams were sacrificed for misguided political purposes," said Mark Tewksbury, Olympic Champion and chef de mission of Canada's 2012 Olympic Team.

On December 27, 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, a distant land unknown to most Canadians. The invasion set off a chain of events that dominated headlines. An American-led boycott of the Olympic Games, which Canada eventually joined, forced 212 Canadian athletes to shelve their Olympic dreams.

Shattered Hopes is an oral history of key individuals, including eight decision makers, five national team coaches, two senior administrators, two team personnel, and 27 of Canada's athletes.

"As an athlete who was directly affected by the 1980 boycott, this book is a comprehensive and detailed account of the issues leading up to the decision to boycott the Moscow Games and the consequences of this decision. The physical and emotional fallout affected many Canadian athletes, particularly those who were at the pinnacle of their careers and who had worked long and hard to achieve selection to the Olympic Team, only to have their hopes dashed… My sympathy will always lie with those who were looking at their final Olympic experience and were denied the opportunity," said Alex Baumann, a double Olympic champion, former CEO of Canada's Own the Podium, and now CEO of High-Performance Sport New Zealand.

Robertson's book, Shattered Hopes, will be launched at the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Swimming Trials in Montreal from March 30-April 1, 2012.

Sheila Hurtig Robertson has worked as a writer and editor for more than 35 years. She is the founding editor of Champion magazine, Coaches Report, and the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching. Sheila attended three Olympic games, twice as a media liaison officer for the Canadian Olympic Team and once as manager of the Team Canada media office. Copies of Shattered Hopes are available to order on March 3, 2012 from http://iguanabooks.com