Promising Sochi 2014 Mascots Ideas Shortlisted

The Sochi 2014 jury of experts has chosen the final Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games mascot ideas after reviewing more than 24,000 designs. The winners will be selected from the shortlisted ideas in a public SMS voting taking place on 7 February 2011 in a live television broadcast.

The expert jury, consisting of prominent cultural, educational, sports, business and political figures, is chaired by Konstantin Ernst, CEO of Channel One Russia. After a review the 24,000 designs submitted online by the public during the contest, the jury shortlisted the top 3 Paralympic and top 10 Olympic mascot ideas from which the winners will be chosen in February.

For the Paralympics, the top 3 mascot ideas include a nested doll/tumbler toy, a dolphin and a bullfinch.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, said:

“Six months ago we made the unprecedented decision to create our mascot together with the Russian people. An entire country has taken part in a contest of ideas to create Olympic and Paralympic mascots.

“The mascots for the Sochi 2014 Games should reflect the characteristics of Russian culture and be familiar to millions of people of different ages, occupations and nationalities, both in Russia and around the world.

“It is essential that the mascots appeal to children, since for many of them the Sochi 2014 mascots will be their first contact with sport. We encourage everyone to take part in the final nationwide SMS voting, which will be held in February during a live television broadcast.”

The deliberations of the jury of experts have consisted of several phases. In the first instance, the jury members got acquainted with the gallery of designs and provided their ratings for the ideas which, they believe could represent the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games to a worldwide audience. The lists resulting from this stage were then discussed during the general meeting of the jury of experts.