The 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Canada, marking the first time the city hosted the Games. The event took place from July 17 to August 1, featuring 92 nations and over 6,000 athletes competing in 21 sports. The Games were notable for the absence of several countries, including New Zealand and Taiwan, due to political reasons. The U.S. men's basketball team faced a controversial final against the Soviet Union, while Nadia Comăneci of Romania achieved a historic perfect score of 10 in gymnastics, becoming a symbol of excellence in the sport.