Olympic Games Mascots - Olympic News Olympic Games Mascots twitter Share The first Olympic mascot – which was not official – was named “Schuss” and was born at the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968. A little man on skis, half-way between an object and a person, it was the first in a long line of Olympic mascots. (c) IOC It was not until the Munich 1972 Olympic Games that the first official Olympic mascot, “Waldi”, the dachshund, was created. Since then, mascots have become the most popular and memorable ambassadors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. An original image, the mascot has the job of giving concrete form to the Olympic spirit, spreading the values highlighted at each edition of the Games; promoting the history and culture of the host city; and giving the event a festive atmosphere. (c) Photo Olympia Press The Games mascots over the years have all been examples of ingenuity, imagination and artistic creativity. From “Waldi” to “Amik”, the Montreal Games beaver, the first mascots were emblematic animals of the host countries.

In 1992, Barcelona surprised everyone with “Cobi”, a strange avant-garde dog created by the great designer, Javier Mariscal. Cobi was followed by a whole variety of mascots based on people, animals or even mythical and imaginary creatures. From the dog to the snow leopard, via human-like ice cubes, the mascots lend an element of humour and joy to the Olympic experience. They contribute to the efforts made to offer a warm welcome to athletes and visitors from around the world. Sochi 2014 (c) IOC On Saturday 26 February 2011, more than a million Russians participated in a live television broadcast, during which a vote was held to choose the mascots for the Sochi Games. The leopard got the most votes, followed by the polar bear and the hare; and these three animals from the Great North and the mountainous regions of Russia would become the mascots of the XXII Olympic Winter Games.

During the Games, tens of thousands of spectators were able to see the mascots, « Белый мишка » (Bieliy Michka, the polar bear), « Леопард » (Leopard, the leopard) and « Зайка » (Zaïka, the hare), but the most spectacular moment was doubtless when they appeared in giant format in the Fisht Stadium during the Closing Ceremony. They gathered in front of a cauldron where the Olympic flame was burning, and the polar bear proceeded to blow out the flame, while, simultaneously, the flame burning outside the Stadium was extinguished. The polar bear then shed a tear in a nod to the Closing Ceremony of Moscow 1980, where the mascot Michka also cried at the end of those Games. London 2012 The London 2012 mascot, Wenlock, takes his name from the town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire, which still hosts the traditional Much Wenlock Games. These were one of Pierre de Coubertin‟s sources of inspiration for the modern Olympic Games.

According to the story by Michael Morpurgo, Wenlock's metallic look is explained by the fact that he was made from one of the last drops of steel used to build the Olympic Stadium in London. The light on his head is based on those found on London‟s famous black cabs. The shape of his forehead is identical to that of the Olympic Stadium roof. His eye is the lens of a camera, filming everything he sees. On his wrists, he wears five bracelets in the colours of the Olympic rings. And the three points on his head represent the three places on the podium for the medal winners. (c) IOC Streets, parks and underground station entrances in London were decorated with 84 sculptures of Wenlock and the Paralympic mascot Mandeville standing 2 metres 30 tall and each weighing a ton, to help guide tourists during the Games. These sculptures were decorated by 22 designers to reflect their surroundings. The mascots were chosen in a competition launched in 2008. More than 100 designers, artists and agencies submitted proposals.

Wenlock and Mandeville were chosen from a series of designs which included a humanised pigeon, an animated teacup and representations of Big Ben featuring arms and legs. Vancouver 2010 (c) Kishimoto/IOC The Vancouver Games mascots were creatures inspired by the fauna and tales of the First Nations on the West Coast of Canada. Quatchi is a sasquatch, a popular character from local legend who lives in the forest. He is covered in thick fur and wears boots and earmuffs. Miga is a sea bear, a mythical animal that is part killer whale and part Kermode bear. The Kermode bear, also called “Bear Spirit” lives only in British Columbia. The Organising Committee launched a tender among illustration agencies and professionals to which 177 responded. Five designers were selected for a more detailed study of their creation skills. Finally, it was Meomi design that won. (c) IOC Quatchi and Miga have a friend called Mukmuk, who turned out to be very popular, even if he was not an official mascot. Mukmuk was inspired by a rare and threatened type of marmot that lives only on an island in Vancouver.

His name is taken from the word “muckamuck”, meaning food in Chinook. Though at the start he existed only virtually and on paper, later he too had the right to a range of products. Beijing 2008 (c) IOC The five Beijing 2008 mascots form the “Fuwa”, which translates as “good-luck dolls”. The mascots correspond to the five natural elements and, apart from Huanhuan, to four popular animals in China. Each mascot represents the colour of one of the five Olympic rings. Each also bears a wish, as it was traditional in ancient Chinese culture to transmit wishes through signs or symbols. (c) Kishimoto/IOC Beibei the fish is a reference to the element of water. She is blue and her wish is prosperity. The waves on her head are based on a design in traditional Chinese painting. Jingjing the panda represents the forest. He is black and his wish is happiness. Porcelain paintings from the Song dynasty (960-1234 AD) were the inspiration for the lotus flowers on his head. Yingying, the Tibetan antelope, represents earth. He is yellow and his wish is good health.

Decorative elements from Western China appear on his head. Nini, the swallow, represents the sky. She is green and her wish is good luck. Her design is inspired by those on Chinese kites. Swallow is pronounced “Yan” in Chinese, and an ancient name for Beijing was “Yanjing”. Huanhuan symbolises fire and the Olympic spirit. His red colour transmits the passion of sport. Dunhunag grotto art inspired the decoration on his head, together with certain traditional good-luck designs. Linking the five names forms the sentence “Welcome to Beijing” (Bei Jing Huan Ying Nin). Evolution of Logos And Mascots in Olympics from 1924 To 2016 | Artatm Evolution of Logos And Mascots in Olympics from 1924 To 2016 Tweet Logo is a symbol and trademark for any company. When it comes to creating logos for sports team or sports events like Olympics or Fifa World Cup, each and every small detail matters. The very first thing a logo does is id identifies the organization. It should spread the vision and the mission of the event.

Olympics is held every four years, and every year a new logo is used to represent the country. A Mascot is either an animal, person or object to bring luck to the team or the event. Mascots are many a times the national animal or bird of the country or city where the team resides. Mascots embraces a global identity. Every Olympics logo and Mascot represents the enthusiasm, the emotions, the history of the country. It helps the people of the country to get emotionally attached with the games. With 2012 London Olympics just round the corner, it would be pretty interesting to know how every four years the design of the logos and mascots has started to evolve over the years. In this post we are publishing Evolution of Logos And Mascots in Olympics from 1924 To 2016 In the meanwhile you may want to read other Olympics , Logos and Fifa World Cup related articles Olympic Mascots From 1972 – 2012 1972 Munich Olympics – Waldi, The Dachshund Waldi, the dachshund.

Very popular in Bavaria, but he also possesses qualities which are indispensable to an athlete: resistance, tenacity and agility. These are among the reasons he was chosen to be the mascot. He was dressed in pastel colors to express the gaiety and joy of the Olympic festival. 1976 Montreal Olympics – Amik, The Beaver It was a beaver called Amik, a name taken from the Algonquian language, which is the most popular language amongst the American Indians in Canada. Amik means beaver.The beaver symbolizes hard work. The Mascot bore the emblem of the Montréal Games and a red sash representing the ribbons to which Olympic medals are attached. 1980 Moscow Olympics – Misha, The Bear The mascot of the Moscow Olymics was chosen with the help of a public opinion poll conducted jointly by the editorial boards of the TV programme “V mire zhivotnykh” (Animal World) and the newspaper Sovetski Sport (Soviet Sport). The majority of the 45,000 letters received suggested a bear.

1984 Los Angeles Olympics – Sam, The Eagle Designed by Walt Disney, Sam is a cartooned Eagle with sheer American characteristics who wears the dress of the legendary American Uncle Sam with a star-spangled background in red, white and blue, typical colors of USA. 1988 Seoul Olympics – Hodori, The Tiger Hodori was designed as an amicable tiger, which portrays the friendly and hospitable traditions of the Koreans. Ho is derived from the Korean word for tiger, and Dori is a diminutive for boys in Korea. The friendly tiger of Seoul wore the Olympic Rings around its neck, much like a medal, while sporting a traditional Korean dance hat on its head. 1992 Barcelona Olympics – Cobi, The Dog The mascot was a dog named Cobi. The Barcelona Organizing Committee for Olympics had specially produced a TV series for Cobi to communicate the spirits of the Games. The Valencian artist, Javier Mariscal, created the dog Cobi as official mascot of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.

1996 Atlanta Olympics – Izzy WHATIZIT – a computer-animated mascot created by a local design firm, DESIGNefx-was chosen as the most innovative concept because of its ability to change in appearance to represent different athletes and sports; hence its name, “What is it?” It carried the name Izzy, derived from “What is it?” because no one seemed to know exactly what Izzy really was. 2000 Sydney Olympics – Olly, A Kookaburra, Syd, A Platypus and Millie, An Echidna Olly, Syd and Millie are three native Australian animals chosen as mascots for the Sydney 2000 Games. They represent earth, air and water. “Olly”, a kookaburra, epitomizes the Olympic spirit of generosity and universal generosity (from Olympic); “Syd”, a platypus, represents the environment and captures the vigor and energy of Australia and its people (from Sydney); “Millie”, an echidna, is a techno-whiz and information guru, with all the facts and figures at her fingertips (from Millennium).

2004 Athens Olympics – Athena and Phevos, Sister and Brother Athena and Phevos were two children, a sister and a brother, related to ancient Greece. The source of their inspiration was an ancient Greek doll from the 7th century BC. The bell-shaped terracotta doll has movable limbs and is dressed in a tunic. In ancient times, these dolls were known as “daidala”. Their names were inspired by two Olympian Gods: Athena, goddess of wisdom and patron of the city of Athens. Phevos, the Olympian god of light and music, known as Apollo. 2008 Beijing Olympics – The Fuwa They were five personified dolls, called “Fuwa” in general, and respectively named “Beibei” (carp), “Jingjing” (panda), “Huanhuan” (Child of Fire), “Yingying” (Tibetan antelope), and “Nini” (swallow). Their names put together – “Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni” – literally reads “Beijing Welcomes You” in Chinese, offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of the Five Friendlies as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

2012 London Olympics – Wenlock and Mandeville Wenlock and Mandeville are the official mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics being held in London, United Kingdom. Wenlock and Mandeville are animations depicting two drops of steel from a steelworks in Bolton. They are named after the Shropshire town of Much Wenlock, which held a forerunner of the current Olympic Games, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, a facility in Buckinghamshire that initially organised the Stoke Mandeville Games, the precursor of the Paralympic Games. Olympic Logos From 1924 – 2016 1924 Paris Olympics logo 1932 Los Angeles Olympics logo 1936 Berlin Olympics logo Olympic Games Mascots Home > Events > Olympics > Summer > Mascots Olympic Games Mascots The first mascot in Olympic history made its appearance at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, though it was not an official mascot. Also in Mexico 1968 there were unofficial dove and jaguar mascots.

The idea of an Olympic mascot was officially approved at the 73rd Session of the International Olympic Committee in Munich 1972. Therefore the first official Olympic mascot was Waldi the dachshund at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Since then, mascots have become a major element of the Olympic brand. Mascots act as a vehicle for communicating the Olympic spirit to the general public, especially children and youth. They have come in many shapes and sizes, though they all convey the theme of the Olympic Games, and showcase the distinctive geographical features, history and culture of the host city. Up until 1992, most Olympic mascots were created based on an animal unique to the host country. Since then, human or invented figures have been used, and often more than one mascot - the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games had four mascots; the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games had three and the 2004 Athens Olympic Games had two, and Beijing had five! London has gone back to one, but one for each of the Olympic Games and Paralympics.

List of Olympic Games Mascots (Summer Games) Year 2016 Rio Vinicius (Olympic Games) and Tom (Paralympic Games) Vinicius is a bright yellow and cat-like Olympic mascot, meant to represent a mix of all Brazilian animals. He was named after the poet and bossa nova composer Vinicius de Moraes. There is also a separate green leaf-haired Paralympic mascot called Tom, representing all of Brazil's plant species (see more about 2016 Mascots ) 2012 London Wenlock (Olympic Games) and Mandeville (Paralympics) These two playful cartoon animations were said to be created from the last drops of steel left over from the construction of the final support girder for the London Olympic Stadium. Their names derive from the 'Wenlock Games' and the 'Stoke Mandeville Games', early British inspirations for the current Olympics and Paralympics. The design includes a single eye which is a camera, and yellow lights on their heads like London's black taxis.

(more about 2012 Mascots ) 2008 Beijing Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini There are five Olympic Mascots for Beijing 2008: Beibei (blue Fish), Jingjing (black Panda), Huanhuan (red Flame), Yingying (yellow Antelope) and Nini (green Swallow). Their five names together – "Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni" – translates as ‘Welcome to Beijing’. (more about 2008 Mascots ) 2004 Athens Athena and Phevos The two mascots for the Athens Olympics are based on thousands of years old dolls found at archeological sites in Greece. They are called Athena and Phevos, and have whacking feet, longish necks and puny heads. One is colored deep yellow, the other in deep blue. They are named after two gods from Greek mythology: Phevos, the god of light and music, and Athena, goddess of wisdom and patron of the city of Athens. 2000 Sydney Syd, Olly and Millie The three mascots from the Sydney Olympic Games are based on native Australian animals.

Their names are short for Olympic, Sydney and Millennium. "Olly", a kookaburra, epitomizes the Olympic spirit of generosity and universal generosity.; "Syd", a platypus, represents the environment and captures the vigor and energy of Australia and its people.; "Millie", an echidna, is a techno-whiz and information guru, with all the facts and figures at her fingertips. 1996 Atlanta Izzy The mascot of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta was an abstract fantasy figure. It was given the name Izzy, derived from "What is it?" because no one seemed to know exactly what it really was. Cobi The mascot for the Barcelona Games was a dog, which had its own specially produced TV series. 1988 Seoul Hodori The Seoul Olympics mascot was a little friendly tiger, which portrays the friendly and hospitable traditions of the Koreans. The name comes from 'Ho', which is derived from the Korean word for tiger, and 'Dori', which is a diminutive for boys in Korea. The mascot wore the Olympic Rings around its neck, much like a medal, with a traditional Korean dance hat on its head.

1984 Los Angeles Sam the Eagle The mascot for the LA Olympics was designed by Walt Disney. The Eagle wore the outfit of the legendary American Uncle Sam, with a star-spangled background in red, white and blue. 1980 Moscow Misha The Moscow Olympic mascot was a bear called Misha. This mascot was developed by Victor Chizikov, a renowned illustrator of children's books. The Misha mascot became very popular around the world. 1976 Montreal Amik The Montreal mascot was a beaver called Amik. The name Amik means beaver in the Algonquian language, the most popular language amongst the American Indians in Canada. 1972 Munich Waldi The Munich mascot was a dachshund, which represented qualities which are indispensable to an athlete: resistance, tenacity and agility. This was the first official Olympic Games mascot. 1968 Mexico El Jaguar Rojo de Chichen-Itza (Red Jaguar) & Paloma de la Paz (dove) There were unofficial dove and jaguar mascots. The Jaguar mascot was based on a throne in the shape of a red jaguar in the "El Castillo" pyramid at Chichen Itzá.

The stylized white dove represented the slogan of the games, "Los juegos de la Paz" or "Games of the Peace". Mascot Olympic Games 1976 Montreal Mascot of the 1976 Olympic Games Several reasons justified the choice of the beaver as mascot of the 1976 Olympic Games. Recognized for its patience and hard work, this animal has occupied an important place in the economic development of Canada from the time when the fur trade was the major activity in North America. It has been honored as the national symbol of Canadians and appears on coins and stamps. Closely associated with the history and folklore of Canada, the beaver also appears on the coats-of-arms of both Montréal and Kinston. The mascot of the 1976 Games was called "Amik," a word meaning beaver in the Algonquin language, the most widespread among the Amerindians of Canada. The Mascot bore the emblem of the Montréal Games and a red sash representing the ribbons to which Olympic medals are attached.

The 10 Most Bizarre-Looking Olympic Games Mascots Ever The 10 Most Bizarre-Looking Olympic Games Mascots Ever Original | Molly Savard Published July 20, 2016 08:00PM EDT ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - This is a Wednesday, May 19, 2010 file photo of the Olympic mascot Wenlock, left, and the Paralympic mascot Mandeville as they pose for photographs as they are unveiled to the media as the mascots for London 2012, Britain's national tourism agency issued guidelines Wednesday Aug. 11, 2010 on the etiquette of dealing with the hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors who will be coming to London for the 2012 Summer Olympics. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File) At the Rio Summer Games opening ceremony August 5, the world will formally meet Vinicius, the 2016 Olympic mascot who's a mash-up of Brazilian animals. He's far from the strangest creation the Games have seen, and these 10 bizarre Olympic mascots never came close to the victory podium.

Wenlock and Mandeville (Summer Games) 2012, London, United Kingdom Wenlock and Mandeville are a nod to Olympic history, at least in name. The one-eyed "blobs," as the Daily Mail called them, are named for the towns Much Wenlock and Stoke Mandeville, which are home to games said to have inspired the Olympics and Paralympics. The designs reflect elements of the Games -- the five, Olympic ring-colored bands around Wenlock's wrist, the creatures' heads in shapes evoking Olympic medals and helmets -- and the host city, with both mascots endowed with a taxi light a la London's black cabs and a single eye supposed to represent a camera. The Guardian said the "offensively terrible" characters "fitted out in foppish puffery" were the worst ever. Neve and Gliz (Winter Games) 2006, Turin, Italy Chosen from among 237 proposals, Neve and Gliz became the block-headed mascots representing the elements necessary for the Winter Games.

Neve, meaning "snow" in Italian, has rounded edges meant to evoke "harmony and elegance of movement," while Gliz, a hint at the word for "ice" in Italian (ghiaccio), features sharper edges to connote "the power and strength of the athletes." Mostly, they were made fun of for their creepy eyes and teeth. Phevos and Athena (Summer Games) 2004, Athens, Greece Phevos and Athena were based in Greece's historic connection to the Games. The big-footed, pants-less brother and sister cartoons were modeled after the daidala, a ceramic sculpture from the 7th century BC. Phevos' name is inspired by Phoebos, another name for the god Apollo, and Athena was named for the goddess of wisdom and protector of Athens. Commentators likened them to characters out of the comic strip "Life in Hell" and the creepy children's TV show, In the Night Garden. Hakon and Kristin (Winter Games) 1994, Lillehammer, Norway These kids were the first mascots to take human form.

Hakon and Kristin, named for historical Norwegian figures, "are modern children and express the interests and visions of young people." Though less obviously eerie than some of the other mascots, they were called out by one writer at SB Nation for having "horrifying Village of the Damned staring eyes" and "disingenuous, pilled-up leering grins." Izzy (Summer Games) 1996, Atlanta, Georgia Izzy (formerly Whatzit) remains one of the most-ridiculed mascots in Olympic history, even after its makeover. The original iteration debuted at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics closing ceremonies, where a negative reception prompted a Whatzit redesign. Izzy, the droopy-eyed, gaping-mouthed mascot, was born, and has been derided ever since. Hidy and Howdy (Winter Games) 1988, Calgary, Canada Cowboy polar bears? Anything goes in the wilds of Canada. Hidy and Howdy were chosen by representatives from Calgary department stores and named by a citizens' jury who chose from nearly 7,000 suggestions. The duo became the first mascot couple and were promptly mocked for their kooky eyes and silly names.

Amik (Summer Games) 1976, Montreal, Canada A spherical, black beaver served as the no-nonsense 1976 Olympic mascot. Wearing a sash symbolizing a medal ribbon, Amik was chosen for Canada's historic relationship with the beaver, in addition to the animal's qualities of patience and hard work. Its design was criticized for its lack of imagination, not to mention the mascot's lifeless open eye and mouth. Olly, Syd, and Millie (Summer Games) 2000, Sydney, Australia These three Australian animals -- Olly the kookaburra, Syd the platypus, and Millie the echidna -- made up the first trio of mascots. They were chosen to represent air, water, and earth, but they look just plain frightening when blown up to human-costume proportions.

Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini (Summer Games) 2008, Beijing, China The Fuwa, or good luck dolls, are five mascots whose names together form the sentence "Welcome to Beijing." Four out of the five are animals (fish, panda, antelope, swallow), with the last creature resembling the Olympic torch. The designs are pretty harmless, but like the 2000 Sydney mascots, they get weird once they become life-size plush costumes. They've also been the subjects of superstitious accusations related to disasters in the country leading up to the Olympics. Schuss (Winter Games) 1968, Grenoble, France While not official, Schuss was the first mascot to appear on merchandise accompanying the Olympics. Since the figure wasn't widely known at the time, the abstract, alpine mascot was subject to little criticism but has since come to be known as the "skiing sperm." What's the most embarrassing Olympic mascot of all-time? Name the gold medalist below.

Olympic mascots - TODAY.com Today.com Handout / X80001 Olympic mascots One of the many traditions of the modern Olympics is that each Games have its own mascot. Meet the madcap mascots of the Games. Olympic mascots of Olympic mascots - One of the many traditions of the modern Olympics is that each Games have its own mascot (sometimes more than one). Many have been cuddly, but some are a bit... weird. Take a look at the history of Olympic mascots. The Rio 2016 Olympic mascots debuted Nov. 23, 2014, inspired by Brazilian fauna and flora. The one on the left "is a mixture of different Brazilian animals, blessed with their many qualities: the agility of the cats, the sway of the monkeys, the grace of the birds." The tree creature is designed to represent Paralympic athletes. "He is transforming all the time." Their names will be decided through a public vote.

Reuters / Reuters of Sochi, 2014: The Polar Bear, The Hare, and The Leopard - The Olympic mascots are seen during a welcome ceremony for the Japanese delegation prior to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, at the Coastal Olympic Village in Sochi, Russia on Feb. 2. Getty Images / Getty Images of London, 2012: Wenlock and Mandeville - The mascots of the London games are supposedly drops of molten steel with cameras for eyes. Mandeville is named after the English village of Stoke Mandeville, where the first Paralympic Games were held; Wenlock is named after another village, Much Wenlock, which set up a forerunner to the modern Olympics back in 1850. AFP - Getty Images / AFP - Getty Images Olympic mascots of Vancouver, 2010: Miga, Quatchi and Sumi - The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, came from Canadian mythology.

Miga (left) was part killer whale and part kermode bear; Quatchi (center) was a friendly sasquatch (as in Bigfoot), and Sumi (right) was an animal guardian spirit. The trio also had a sidekick, not shown: Mukmuk, a Vancouver Island marmot. AP / AP of Beijing, 2008: The Fuwa - Collectively known as the Fuwa (Chinese for "good luck dolls"), the five mascots of the Beijing Olympics corresponded to the five Olympic rings, as well as to five Feng Shui elements. From left, there was Nini, a swallow; Yingying, a Tibetan antelope; Huanhuan, the Olympic flame; Beibei, a fish, and Jinging, a giant panda. The five names form the Chinese phrase "Beijing huan ying ni," which means "Beijing welcomes you." Getty Images / Getty Images of Turin, 2006: Neve and Gliz - From left, the mascots of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy were Neve, a snowball, and Gliz, an ice cube.

The chilly chums were designed by Pedro Albuquerque. Getty Images / Getty Images of Athens, 2004: Athena and Phevos - The 2004 Summer Games in Athens, ancient birthplace of the Olympics, brought us sibling mascots with enormous feet: Athena (left) and her brother Phevos. They represent two modern children resembling ancient Greek dolls. Getty Images / Getty Images of 2002, Salt Lake City: Copper, Powder and Coal - From left, Copper, a coyote; Powder, a snowshoe hare, and Coal, an American black bear, each wore a charm with their image. All three animals are indigenous to Utah, and major characters in Native American legend. They are named after natural resources important to Utah's economy. Getty Images / Getty Images of 2000, Sydney: Millie, Syd and Olly - From left, MIllie, an echidna; Syd, a platypus, and Ollie, a kookaburra, were three native animals chosen as mascots for the Sydney 2000 Games. They represented earth, water and air, respectively.

AFP - Getty Images / AFP - Getty Images Olympic mascots of 1998, Nagano: The Snowlets - The mascots for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. were the four owls called Snowlets: Sukki, Nokki, Lekki and Tsukki. The owls represented the four major islands of Japan. So few Snowlets stuffed animals were made that by the second week of the Games, attendees were frantic to find them. AP / AP of 1996, Atlanta: Izzy - The mascot of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta was an abstract fantasy figure. It was called "Izzy", derived from "Whatizit?" because no one seemed to know exactly what "Izzy" really was. AFP/Getty Images / AFP/Getty Images of 1994, Lillehammer: Kristin and Hakon - The 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, brought us mascots Kristin and Hakon: Two Norwegian children dressed in Viking clothes.

Getty Images / Getty Images of 1992, Barcelona: Cobi - Spaniards did not immediately take to Cobi, a cubist-style Catalan sheepdog designed by Barcelona cartoonist Javier Mariscal. But the mascot's popularity slowly grew, and by the end of the Games he was loved both in Spain and around the world. AP / AP of 1988, Seoul: Hodori - Hodori, the mascot of the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, portrayed the friendly side of a tiger, which is present in many Korean legends. The "Ho" comes from the Korean word for tiger, and "Dori" is a common masculine diminutive. The streamer on his hat in the shape of an S stood for Seoul. Olympic Studies Center / Olympic Studies Center Olympic mascots of 1988, Calgary: Hidy and Howdy - Polar bears Hidy and Howdy, mascots for the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, were designed by Sheila Scott to represent Western Canadian hospitality. Getty Images / Getty Images of 1984, Los Angeles: Sam - What could be more American than a bald eagle and Uncle Sam?

That's why Sam, a bald eagle, was designed by Robert Moore (from The Walt Disney Company) for the 1984 Summer Olympics in L.A. Getty Images / Getty Images of 1980, Moscow: Misha - As the eagle is to the U.S., so was the bear to the U.S.S.R. Hence Misha the bear cub was designed by Victor Chizhikov and selected as the mascot for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Getty Images / Getty Images of 1976, Innsbruck: Schneemann - A snowman named Schneemann was chosen to be the official mascot for the 1976 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. "Schnee" is German for "snow." AP / AP of 1976, Montreal: Amik - One of Canada’s most distinctive mammals, the beaver, was chosen as the mascot for the Summer Games of Montreal in 1976. Unfortunately, some strange choices were made for Amik the beaver's design: Over the years he’s been described as everything from flattened roadkill to a bad mullet.

Olympic Studies Center / Olympic Studies Center Olympic mascots The Sochi Olympic mascots are here — and they're surprisingly normal - TODAY.com Today.com The Sochi Olympic mascots are here — and they're surprisingly normal 2014-02-04T18:25:00.000Z Cuddly Olympic mascots finally arrive in Sochi Play Video - 0:48 Cuddly Olympic mascots finally arrive in Sochi Play Video - 0:48 Alexa, whodunit? Police seek Amazon Echo data to solve murder Leopards and hares and bears, oh my! The mascots for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are here, and in comparison to previous Games' characters, these guys won't keep us up at night. Michael Kappeler / Today A volunteer wears an Olympic mascot "Doe Hare" hat in Krasnaya Polyana. Since 1972, it has been an Olympic tradition for each Games to have its own mascots.

According to the Olympic Organizing Committee's official mascot page the mascot "can be a person, an animal or a fictitious being, which reflects the cultural characteristics of the host country and symbolizes the values of the modern Olympic Movement." The process for selecting the mascot is left up to the organizers of the Games. Julian Finney / Today One of the Sochi 2014 mascots takes a stroll through the Athletes Village ahead of the Olympics. The polar bear, hare and leopard were chosen from more than 24,000 sketches submitted, voted on in a poll, and then narrowed down by a judging panel. This marks the first time the mascots have been selected by an entire nation. Alexander Hassenstein / Today A family takes pictures with Olympic mascot at the beach of Sochi sea port on February 2, 2014. While some mascots in the past have bordered on creepy (remember the giant-eyed cyclops from the London Games?), the Sochi characters are cute and cuddly. In fact, the furry friends have already racked up more than 20,000 fans on their Facebook page. Check out more of the mascots from previous Games in the slideshow.

Slideshow Handout / X80001 Olympic mascots One of the many traditions of the modern Olympics is that each Games have its own mascot. Meet the madcap mascots of the Games. Olympic mascots of Olympic mascots - One of the many traditions of the modern Olympics is that each Games have its own mascot (sometimes more than one). Many have been cuddly, but some are a bit... weird. Take a look at the history of Olympic mascots. The Rio 2016 Olympic mascots debuted Nov. 23, 2014, inspired by Brazilian fauna and flora. The one on the left "is a mixture of different Brazilian animals, blessed with their many qualities: the agility of the cats, the sway of the monkeys, the grace of the birds." The tree creature is designed to represent Paralympic athletes. "He is transforming all the time." Their names will be decided through a public vote.

Reuters / Reuters of Sochi, 2014: The Polar Bear, The Hare, and The Leopard - The Olympic mascots are seen during a welcome ceremony for the Japanese delegation prior to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, at the Coastal Olympic Village in Sochi, Russia on Feb. 2. Getty Images / Getty Images of London, 2012: Wenlock and Mandeville - The mascots of the London games are supposedly drops of molten steel with cameras for eyes. Mandeville is named after the English village of Stoke Mandeville, where the first Paralympic Games were held; Wenlock is named after another village, Much Wenlock, which set up a forerunner to the modern Olympics back in 1850. AFP - Getty Images / AFP - Getty Images Olympic mascots of Vancouver, 2010: Miga, Quatchi and Sumi - The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, came from Canadian mythology.

Miga (left) was part killer whale and part kermode bear; Quatchi (center) was a friendly sasquatch (as in Bigfoot), and Sumi (right) was an animal guardian spirit. The trio also had a sidekick, not shown: Mukmuk, a Vancouver Island marmot. AP / AP of Beijing, 2008: The Fuwa - Collectively known as the Fuwa (Chinese for "good luck dolls"), the five mascots of the Beijing Olympics corresponded to the five Olympic rings, as well as to five Feng Shui elements. From left, there was Nini, a swallow; Yingying, a Tibetan antelope; Huanhuan, the Olympic flame; Beibei, a fish, and Jinging, a giant panda. The five names form the Chinese phrase "Beijing huan ying ni," which means "Beijing welcomes you." Getty Images / Getty Images of Turin, 2006: Neve and Gliz - From left, the mascots of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy were Neve, a snowball, and Gliz, an ice cube.

The chilly chums were designed by Pedro Albuquerque. Getty Images / Getty Images of Athens, 2004: Athena and Phevos - The 2004 Summer Games in Athens, ancient birthplace of the Olympics, brought us sibling mascots with enormous feet: Athena (left) and her brother Phevos. They represent two modern children resembling ancient Greek dolls. Getty Images / Getty Images of 2002, Salt Lake City: Copper, Powder and Coal - From left, Copper, a coyote; Powder, a snowshoe hare, and Coal, an American black bear, each wore a charm with their image. All three animals are indigenous to Utah, and major characters in Native American legend. They are named after natural resources important to Utah's economy. Getty Images / Getty Images of 2000, Sydney: Millie, Syd and Olly - From left, MIllie, an echidna; Syd, a platypus, and Ollie, a kookaburra, were three native animals chosen as mascots for the Sydney 2000 Games. They represented earth, water and air, respectively.

AFP - Getty Images / AFP - Getty Images Olympic mascots of 1998, Nagano: The Snowlets - The mascots for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. were the four owls called Snowlets: Sukki, Nokki, Lekki and Tsukki. The owls represented the four major islands of Japan. So few Snowlets stuffed animals were made that by the second week of the Games, attendees were frantic to find them. AP / AP of 1996, Atlanta: Izzy - The mascot of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta was an abstract fantasy figure. It was called "Izzy", derived from "Whatizit?" because no one seemed to know exactly what "Izzy" really was. AFP/Getty Images / AFP/Getty Images of 1994, Lillehammer: Kristin and Hakon - The 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, brought us mascots Kristin and Hakon: Two Norwegian children dressed in Viking clothes.

Getty Images / Getty Images of 1992, Barcelona: Cobi - Spaniards did not immediately take to Cobi, a cubist-style Catalan sheepdog designed by Barcelona cartoonist Javier Mariscal. But the mascot's popularity slowly grew, and by the end of the Games he was loved both in Spain and around the world. AP / AP of 1988, Seoul: Hodori - Hodori, the mascot of the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, portrayed the friendly side of a tiger, which is present in many Korean legends. The "Ho" comes from the Korean word for tiger, and "Dori" is a common masculine diminutive. The streamer on his hat in the shape of an S stood for Seoul. Olympic Studies Center / Olympic Studies Center Olympic mascots of 1988, Calgary: Hidy and Howdy - Polar bears Hidy and Howdy, mascots for the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, were designed by Sheila Scott to represent Western Canadian hospitality. Getty Images / Getty Images of 1984, Los Angeles: Sam - What could be more American than a bald eagle and Uncle Sam?

That's why Sam, a bald eagle, was designed by Robert Moore (from The Walt Disney Company) for the 1984 Summer Olympics in L.A. Getty Images / Getty Images of 1980, Moscow: Misha - As the eagle is to the U.S., so was the bear to the U.S.S.R. Hence Misha the bear cub was designed by Victor Chizhikov and selected as the mascot for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Getty Images / Getty Images of 1976, Innsbruck: Schneemann - A snowman named Schneemann was chosen to be the official mascot for the 1976 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. "Schnee" is German for "snow." AP / AP of 1976, Montreal: Amik - One of Canada’s most distinctive mammals, the beaver, was chosen as the mascot for the Summer Games of Montreal in 1976. Unfortunately, some strange choices were made for Amik the beaver's design: Over the years he’s been described as everything from flattened roadkill to a bad mullet.

Olympic Studies Center / Olympic Studies Center Olympic mascots of 1972, Munich: Waldi - Waldi, the mascot of the 1972 Munich Games, was the first official Olympic mascot. A dachshund, chosen to represent athletic tenacity and agility, Waldi had a light blue head and vertical stripes with at least three of the five Olympic colors. Olympic Studies Center / Olympic Studies Center

Question: Which Olympic city had the animal mascot called Amik the Beaver?
Answer: Montreal