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Sochi shortlists mascot ideas

Sochi 2014 has announced the results of the first selection round for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games mascot ideas including a short list of design ideas. The winners will be selected from the shortlisted ideas, characters and their authors, and will be presented to the public on 7th February 2011 - exactly 3 years before the start of the 2014 Games.

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 during the contest, the jury shortlisted the top 10 Olympic and top 3 Paralympic mascot ideas from which the winners will be chosen in February 2011. The jury has decided that both animals - such as bears, leopards, dolphins, bullfinches, rabbits, and abstract characters - such as snowballs, snowflakes, traditional Russian nested dolls Matreshkas - can continue the race.

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."

Contributed by Sochi 2014

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