List of Olympic mascots

The Olympic mascots are fictional characters, usually an animal native to the area or human figures, who represent the cultural heritage of the place where the Olympic and Paralympic Games are taking place. The mascots are often used to help market the Olympic Games to a younger audience, in particular toddlers and children. Ever since the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, the Olympic Games have always had a mascot. The first major mascot in the Summer Olympic Games was Misha in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Starting with the 2010 Vancouver mascots, the Olympic and Paralympic mascots have been presented together.

History

The first Olympic mascot was born at the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968. It was named "Schuss" and it was a little man on skis, designed in an abstract form and painted in the colors of France: blue, red and white.[1] However, the first official Olympic mascot appeared in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. It was Waldi, a Dachshund dog, a popular breed in Bavaria and it represented the attributes required for athletes – resistance, tenacity and agility. On it we can see three of the colors of the Olympic flag (blue, yellow, green).[1][2][3]

The success of those first mascots helped the idea of a mascot become a symbol of the Olympic Games and developed into an institution. Mascots are very popular and despite the importance of the message they convey, they are designed in simple manner with bright, happy colors appropriate for the ‘festive’ atmosphere of the Olympic Games.

The mascots for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, were Phevos and Athena, two dolls inspired by a bell-shaped archaic sculpture that is on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. In ancient times, these dolls, the ‘daidala’, as they were called, were also items of worship as well as toys. Phevos and Athena are brother and sister and so they symbolize the joy of play and the values of Olympism. The choice of a brother and sister was purposely made to promote the values of equality and brotherhood.

Olympic mascots

GamesCityMascotCharacterDesignerSignificancePhotograph
1968 Winter OlympicsGrenobleSchussStylized skierMme Lafargue(unofficial)
1972 Summer OlympicsMunichWaldiDachshund dogOtl AicherA popular breed in Bavaria, it represented the attributes required for athletes – resistance, tenacity and agility.
1976 Winter OlympicsInnsbruckSchneemannSnowmanWalter PötschIt represents the Games of Simplicity.
1976 Summer OlympicsMontrealAmikBeaverYvon Laroche,
Pierre-Yves Pelletier,
Guy St-Arnaud and
George Huel		One of the national symbols of Canada.
1980 Winter OlympicsLake PlacidRoniRaccoonDonald MossIts face design resembles the hat and goggles used by competitors. Named for the Adirondack mountain range.
1980 Summer OlympicsMoscowMishaBear cubVictor ChizhikovThe bear was the national symbol of the Soviet Union.
1984 Winter OlympicsSarajevoVučkoLittle wolfJoze TrobecSymbolizing the desire of humans to befriend animals. According to the IOC, it helped change the common perception in the region of wolves as frightening and blood-thirsty.
1984 Summer OlympicsLos AngelesSamBald eagleRobert Moore
(from
The Walt Disney Company)		The symbol of the United States.
1988 Winter OlympicsCalgaryHidy and HowdyTwo polar bearsSheila ScottBoth represent Western Canadian hospitality.
1988 Summer OlympicsSeoulHodoriTiger cubHyun KimCommon in Korean legends.
1992 Winter OlympicsAlbertvilleMagiqueMan-star/snow impPhilippe Mairesse
1992 Summer OlympicsBarcelonaCobiA Catalan sheepdogJavier MariscalDrawn in avant-garde, cubist style
1994 Winter OlympicsLillehammerHåkon and KristinTwo Norwegian childrenBoth are dressed in Viking clothes. First mascots to be human figures.
1996 Summer OlympicsAtlantaIzzyAn abstract figure (an alien)John RyanThe first computer-generated mascot.
1998 Winter OlympicsNaganoThe Snowlets:
Sukki, Nokki, Lekki and Tsukki		Four owlsRepresenting the four major islands of Japan. The first syllable of each name combines phonetically to create the word "Snowlets".
2000 Summer OlympicsSydneyOlly
(from "Olympic")		KookaburraJozef Szekeres, Matthew HattonRepresenting the Olympic spirit of generosity.
Syd
(from "Sydney")		PlatypusRepresenting the environment and energy of the people of Australia.
Millie
(from "Millennium")		EchidnaRepresenting the Millennium. All three mascots are common wild animals found in Australia.
2002 Winter OlympicsSalt Lake CityPowder
(a.k.a. Swifter)		Snowshoe hareSteve Small,
Landor Associates
and Publicis[4]		All three mascots are indigenous animals of the U.S. state of Utah, and are named after natural resources important to the state's economy. These animals are major characters in the legends of local American Indians, and these legends are reflected in the story of each mascot. To remind them of this heritage, all mascots wear a charm around their neck with a petroglyph image.[5]
Copper
(a.k.a. Higher)		Coyote
Coal
(a.k.a. Stronger)		American black bear
2004 Summer OlympicsAthensAthena and PhevosBrother and sisterSpyros GogosTwo modern children resembling ancient Greek dolls.
2006 Winter OlympicsTurinNeve and GlizA humanized snowball and ice cubePedro Albuquerque"Snow and Ice". Neve ("Snow" in Italian) is a humanized female snowball that wears red and represents "softness, friendship and elegance." Gliz (a shortened form of Ghiaccio, "Ice" in Italian) is a humanized male ice cube who wears blue and represents "enthusiasm and joy."
2008 Summer OlympicsBeijingThe Fuwa:
Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, Nini		Fish, giant panda, Olympic Flame, Tibetan antelope, swallowHan MeilinThe five names form the Chinese phrase "Beijing huan ying ni" (北京欢迎你), which means "Beijing welcomes you". Each representing an Olympic ring and Feng Shui element.
2010 Winter OlympicsVancouverMigaMythical sea bearMeomi Design
(a group of
Vicki Wong and
Michael Murphy)		Part orca and part kermode bear
QuatchiA sasquatchFrom Canadian mythology
MukmukA Vancouver Island marmotNot an official mascot, but their designated "sidekick".
2012 Summer OlympicsLondonWenlock[6]Drops of steel with cameras for eyes.Iris[7]Named after the village of Much Wenlock in Shropshire – which hosted a precursor to the modern Olympic Games in the 19th century. It represents the UK's start of the Industrial Revolution.
2014 Winter OlympicsSochiBely Mishka (Polar Bear), Snow Leopard (leopard), Zaika (the dore hare)Silvia Petrova, Vadim Pak, Oleg SerdechnyFirst mascots decided by popular vote.
2016 Summer OlympicsRio de JaneiroViniciusAn animal representing all Brazilian mammalsLuciana Eguti and Paulo MuppetInspired by Brazilian fauna. Named after the poet and bossa nova composer Vinicius de Moraes decided by popular vote.

2018 Winter OlympicsPyeongchangSoohorangA white tigerMASS C&GA white tiger. The tiger is an animal closely related to Korean mythology, and is a symbol of trust, strength, and protection.
2020 Summer OlympicsTokyoMiraitowaA figure with blue chequered patterns from the official emblemRyo TaniguchiA superhero-inspired character that embodies both old tradition and new innovation.
2022 Winter OlympicsBeijingWill be unveiled in 2020TBATBA
2024 Summer OlympicsParisWill be unveiled in 2022TBATBA
2026 Winter OlympicsTBAWill be unveiled in 2024TBATBA
2028 Summer OlympicsLos AngelesWill be unveiled in 2026TBATBA

Youth Olympic mascots

GamesCityMascotCharacterDesignerSignificancePicture
2010 Summer Youth OlympicsSingaporeLyo and MerlyRed male lion (Lyo), Blue female merlion (Merly)Cubix InternationalThe two characters are an allusion to the "Lion City" label of Singapore, and the Merlion, a national symbol of Singapore, respectively.
2012 Winter Youth OlympicsInnsbruckYogglAlpine ChamoisFlorencia Demaría and Luis Andrés Abbiati of ArgentinaYoggl represents the character of the host city of these games[8]
2014 Summer Youth OlympicsNanjingLeLe(砳砳)[9]Rainflower Stone/Yuhua Stone (雨花石)LeLe is inspired by a unique natural feature of the host city known as the "Rain-Flower Pebble" (also translated as "Riverstone"). The design of the mascot takes the typical shape and appearance of this stone but in a creative and artistic way, highlighting the colours from the emblem’s palette. The word ‘lele’ represents the sound of stones colliding together and is pronounced like the Chinese word meaning happiness or joy.
2016 Winter Youth OlympicsLillehammerSjoggLynxLine Ansethmoen
2018 Summer Youth OlympicsBuenos AiresPandiJaguarHuman Full Agency#Pandi is young Yaguareté (A South American animal, very similar to the Jaguar). Its name "#Pandi" is a combination of the scientific name of the species (Panthera onca) and the relationship of the mascot with the "digital world".[10]
2020 Winter Youth OlympicsLausanneTBATBATBA
2022 Summer Youth OlympicsDakarTBATBATBA

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "History of Olympic Mascots 1968–2014 – Photos & Origins". www.olympic.org. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  2. ↑ "Olympic Games Mascots". www.topendsports.com. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  3. ↑ "Ολυμπιακές Μασκότ Χειμερινοί Αγώνες – Athens Info Guide". www.athensinfoguide.com. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  4. ↑ Utah Travel Industry. "2002 Winter Olympics: Emblems and Mascots". Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  5. ↑ Salt Lake Organizing Committee (2001). Reach: An Educators Guide to the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games of 2002. p. 16. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  6. ↑ Farquhar, Gordon (19 May 2010). "BBC Sport – London 2012 unveils Games mascots Wenlock and Mandeville". BBC Online. BBC Online. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "2012 London Mascots launched to the World". Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "Olympic News – Official Source of Olympic News | Olympic.org". www.innsbruck2012.com. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  9. ↑ "Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Mascot Unveiled". www.olympic.org. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  10. ↑ "Buenos AIres 2018 on Twitter". Twitter (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 May 2018. La elección de #Pandi se debe a la combinación entre su nombre científico que es "Panthera Onca" y su relación con el mundo digital.

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