Which Olympic Games marked the first time a host country did not win a gold medal?

The 1976 Olympic Games, held in Montreal, Canada, marked the first time in Olympic history that the host country did not win a gold medal. This was particularly significant as Canada had high hopes of performing well on home turf. The Canadian athletes faced tough competition and, despite numerous attempts, they ended the Games without a gold medal, finishing with a total of 11 medals that included silver and bronze. This event is often noted in the history of the Olympics as a notable occurrence, emphasizing the unpredictability and competitiveness of the Games.

The other years mentioned were not distinguished by a similar event; for example, the Olympics in 1980 were boycotted by many countries due to political reasons, and the Soviet Union, despite being the host, did win gold medals. In 1984, held in Los Angeles, the United States dominated the medal count, so there were clearly no issues of the host nation failing to secure gold. Therefore, the 1976 Olympics stand out as the unique instance when the host nation did not win any gold medals, solidifying option B as the correct choice.