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)
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
Game Designe
City Mascot Character Significance Photograph
s r

1968
Winter Mme
Grenoble Schuss Stylized skier (unofficial)
Olymp Lafargue
ics

A popular breed
in Bavaria, it
1972 represented the
Summ attributes
Otl
er Munich Waldi Dachshunddog required for
Aicher
Olymp athletes
ics resistance,
tenacity and
agility.

1976
It represents
Winter Innsbruc Schneema Walter
Snowman the Games of
Olymp k nn Ptsch
Simplicity.
ics

Yvon
1976 One of the
Laroche,
Summ Montral Amik Beaver national symbols
Pierre-
er of Canada.
Yves
Olymp
Pelletier,
ics Guy St-
Arnaud
and
George
Huel

Its face design

resembles the
1980 hat and goggles
Winter Lake Donald used by
Roni Raccoon
Olymp Placid Moss competitors.
ics Named for
the Adirondack m
ountain range.

1980
The bear was the
Summ Victor
national symbol
er Moscow Misha Bear cub Chizhiko
of the Soviet
Olymp v
Union.
ics

Symbolizing the
desire of humans
to befriend
animals.
1984 1=According to
Winter Joze the IOC, it helped
Sarajevo Vuko Little wolf
Olymp Trobec change the
ics common
perception in the
region of wolves
as frightening
and blood-thirsty.

Robert
1984 Moore
Summ (from The symbol of
Los
er Sam Bald eagle The Walt the United
Angeles
Olymp Disney States.
ics Compan
y)

Both
1988 Hidy and Sheila
Calgary Two polar bears represent Wester
Winter Howdy Scott
n
Olymp
Canadian hospita
ics lity.

1988
Summ Common
Hyun
er Seoul Hodori Tiger cub in Korean legend
Kim
Olymp s.
ics

1992
Philippe
Winter Albertvill
Magique Man-star/snow imp Mairess
Olymp e
e
ics

1992
Summ Drawn in avant-
Barcelon A Catalan Javier
er Cobi garde, cubist styl
a sheepdog Mariscal
Olymp e
ics

1994
Winter Lilleham Hkon and Two Norwegian chil Both are dressed
Olymp mer Kristin dren in Viking clothes.
ics

1996
The
Summ
John first computer-
er Atlanta Izzy An abstract figure
Ryan generated masco
Olymp
t.
ics

Representing the
four major
The
islands of Japan.
1998 Snowlets:
The first syllable
Winter Sukki,
Nagano Four owls of each name
Olymp Nokki,
combines
ics Lekki and
phonetically to
Tsukki
create the word
"Snowlets".

Olly Representing the

2000 (from Kookaburra Jozef Olympic spirit of
Summ "Olympic") Szekere generosity.
er Sydney s,
Olymp Matthew
ics Hatton Representing the
Syd Platypus
environment and
(from
energy of the
 "Sydney") people
of Australia.

Representing the
Millie Millennium. All
(from three mascots
Echidna
"Millenniu are common wild
m") animals found
in Australia.

Created in
protest against
Fatso the
the
Fat-Arsed
commercializatio
Wombat Paul
n of Olympic
(unofficial; Newell
Wombat Mascots, this
an allusion with Roy
unofficial symbol
to "The & HG
ultimately
Battlers'
became more
Prince")
popular than the
official mascots.

Powder All three mascots

(a.k.a. Swif Snowshoe hare are indigenous
ter) animals of
the U.S.
state of Utah,
and are named
Copper
after natural
(a.k.a. Hig Coyote resources import
her)
ant to the state's
economy. These
Steve
animals are
Small,
2002 major characters
Landor
Winter Salt Lake in the legends of
Associat
Olymp City local American
es
ics Indians, and
and
these legends
Publicis]
are reflected in
Coal the story of each
American black
(a.k.a. Stro mascot. To
bear remind them of
nger)
this heritage, all
mascots wear a
charm around
their neck with
a petroglyph ima
ge.

2004 Athena
Spyros Two modern
Summ Athens and Brother and sister
Gogos children
er Phevos
resembling ancie
Olymp
ics nt Greek dolls.

2006
A Pedro
Winter Neve and
Turin humanized snowbal Albuquer
Olymp Gliz
l and ice cube que
ics

The five names

form the Chinese
phrase "Beijing
The Fuwa: huan ying ni"
2008
Beibei, Fish, giant ,which means
Summ
Jingjing, panda, Olympic Han "Beijing
er Beijing
Huanhuan, Flame, Tibetan Meilin welcomes you".
Olymp
Yingying, antelope, swallow Each
ics
Nini representing an
Olympic ring
and Feng
Shui element.

Part orca and

Miga Mythical sea bear part kermode
bear

Meomi
Design
(a group
2010
of
Winter Vancouv
Vicki
Olymp er
Wong
ics
and
Michael From Canadian
Quatchi A sasquatch Murphy) mythology

Not an official
A Vancouver Island mascot, but their
Mukmuk
marmot designated
"sidekick".
 Named after the
village of Much
Wenlock in
Shropshire
2012 which hosted a
Summ precursor to the
Drops of steel with
er London Wenlock Iris[7] modern Olympic
cameras for eyes.
Olymp Games in the
ics 19th century. It
represents the
UK's start of
the Industrial
Revolution.

Bely
Mishka Silvia
(Polar Petrova,
2014
Bear), Vadim First mascots
Winter
Sochi Snow Pak, decided by
Olymp
Leopard Oleg popular vote.
ics
(leopard), Serdech
Zaika (the ny
dore hare)

Inspired by
Brazilian fauna.
2016 Luciana
Named after the
Summ An animal Eguti
Rio de poet and bossa
er Vinicius representing all and
Janeiro nova composer V
Olymp Brazilian mammals Paulo
inicius de
ics Muppet
Moraes decided
by popular vote.

On 27 June
2014, the
Pyeongchang
Olympic
Committee
2018
notified the public
Winter Pyeongc
Soohorang A white tiger ??? of their mascot
Olymp hang
selection
ics
contest.[8] The
selection process
took place from
1530
September 2014.
2020 Will be
Summ unveiled in
er Tokyo the ??? ???
Olymp summer of
ics 2018
2022
Winter Beijing TBA TBA TBA
Olymp
ics

Youth Olympic mascots

Games City Mascot Character Designer Significance Picture

The two
characters
are an
allusion to
the "Lion
2010
Lyo Red male lion (Lyo), City" label
Summer Cubix
Singapore and Blue of Singapore,
Youth International
Merly female merlion (Merly) and
Olympics
the Merlion,
a national
symbol of
Singapore,
respectively.

Florencia Yoggl
2012 Demara represents
Winter and Luis the character
Innsbruck Yoggl Alpine Chamois
Youth Andrs of the host
Olympics Abbiati of city of these
Argentina games

LeLe is
inspired by a
unique
natural
feature of the
host city
known as the
"Rain-Flower
Pebble" (also
2014
translated as
Summer Rainflower
Nanjing LeLe "Riverstone").
Youth Stone/Yuhua Stone
The design of
Olympics
the mascot
takes the
typical shape
and
appearance
of this stone
but in a
creative and
artistic way,
highlighting
 the colours
from the
emblems
palette. The
word lele
represents
the sound of
stones
colliding
together and
is
pronounced
like the
Chinese
word
meaning
happiness or
joy.

2016
Winter Line
Lillehammer Sjogg Lynx
Youth Ansethmoen
Olympics

2018
Summer Buenos
TBA TBA TBA
Youth Aires
Olympics

2020
Winter
Lausanne TBA TBA TBA
Youth
Olympics