Olympic mascots have been an integral part of the Olympic games for more than 50 years. They have been ambassadors of the Olympic and Paralympic games and play a crucial role in welcoming visitors and athletes to the Olympic Games. According to the International Olympic Committee, the mascots also help spread a festive atmosphere, promote the culture and the history of the host city, and offer a concrete form to the olympic spirit. Let’s delve into mascots of all summer Olympics.
Bet On Paris Olympic Games with Bet365History of the Summer Olympics Mascots: What Each Mascot Means
Olympic Games mascots were officially approved by the IOS in 1972 in Munich, which marked the first official Olympic mascot. However, four years earlier there were unofficial mascots. Since then, mascots have been key in the Olympic Games, spreading the Olympic spirit to children and youth.
Most Olympic mascots up to 1992 were animal-based and special to a country hosting the games. After that, humans or different invested figures have been used as mascots. Below is a list of Olympic mascots for summer games.
Phrygian Cap at the 2024 Olympics: Paris
The 2024 Summer Olympic mascot is based on a Phrygian Cap that was used by Marianne during the French Revolution. The mascot name is The Olympic Phryge, designed by Gilles Deleris and revealed on 14 November 2022.
Miratova at the 2020 Olympics: Tokyo
The name of the Tokyo Summer Olympic Mascot was Robot Designed by Ryo Taniguchi. The robot was super-hero inspired, incorporating new and traditional innovations. The name Miratova is derived from the Japanese word “Mirai” which means eternity.
Vinicius at 2016 Olympics: Rio de Jeneiro
Vinicius was a hybrid animal representing all mammals in Brazil. The mascot was designed by Luciana Eguti and Paulo Muppet with inspiration from the Brazilian fauna. It paid tribute to Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian poet at lyricist at the Rio Olympics.
Bet On Paris Olympic Games with 1xBetWenlock at the 2012 Olympics: London
Wenlock was designed by Iris and named after the Much Wenlock village in Shropshire. The appearance of the two cartoon animation mascots was from the last drops of steel that constructed the London Olympic Stadium.
Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini at the 2008 Olympics: Beijing
The Beijing Summer Olympics had five mascots designed by Han Meilin. The five names of the mascots were derived from the Chinese phrase “Beijing huan ying ni” which translates to welcome to Beijing.
Athena and Phevos at the 2004 Olympics: Athens
Athena and Phevos mascots were designed by Spyros Gogos and their name was brother and sister. They were two modern children that looked like ancient Greek dolls.
Bet On Paris Olympic Games with DafabetSyd, Olly, and Millie at the 2000 Olympics: Sydney
The Sydney Summer Olympics featured three mascots designed by Jozef Szekeres and Mattew Hatton. The mascots are derived from Australian animals. Their names are shortened from Sydney, Olympic, and Millenium.
Izzy at the 1996 Olympics: Atlanta
Izzy was the first computer-generated mascot designed by John Ryan. the mascot was given the name Izzy which is derived from “What is it” since no one knew what it was.
Cobi at the 1992 Olympics: Barcelona
The Barcelona summer olympic mascot was a dog that had a produced TV series. Its name was Catalan sheepdog designed by Javier Mariscal.
Bet On Paris Olympic Games with Bc. GameHodori at the 1988 Olympics: Seoul
The mascot was called the Siberian Tiger designed by Hyun Kim. It portrayed the hospitable and friendly Korean tradition. The mascot had a ring around its neck which looked like a medal and wore a traditional Korean dance hat.
Sam the Eagle at 1984 Olympics: Los Angeles
The mascot’s name was Bald Eagle and it was designed by Robert Moore, which was the symbol of the United States. The eagle wore Uncle Sam’s outfit and featured a star-spangled background in red, blue, and white.
Misha at 1980 Olympics: Mosco
Misha, also called the Brown Bear was designed by Victor Chizhikov, a popular children’s book illustrator. The bear was the Soviet Union’s national symbol and the mascot was so popular worldwide.
Bet On Paris Olympic Games with 4rabetAmik at 1976 Olympics: Montreal
The mascot was called Beaver, a popular language among American Indians in Canada. Amik was one of the national symbols in Canada. The mascot was designed by Yvon Laroche, Pierre-Yves Pelletier, Guy St-Arnaud, and George Huel.
Waldi at the 1972 Olympics: Munich
The Munich mascot was called the Dachshund dog and it marked the first official olympic mascot. This is a popular Baravian dog breed that represents athletes' attributes required like resistance, agility, and tenacity. The mascot was designed by Elena Winschermann
Jaguar at the 1968 Olympics: Mexico City
A red jaguar was the unofficial mascot at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Munich. The organizers did not give the mascot a name. The mascot's name was called Chac Mool.
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