Within next two hours Russia will pick the official mascot for the Olympic Games 2014!

Concert, with nationwide phone, SMS, and internet poll in the end, I guess, has already been started. If you’re in Russia, you can watch it live at http://itv.1tv.ru/. I’m not sure you’ll be able to see it if you’re outside of Russia. Trying won’t hurt :-)

Here’s what we’re choosing from:

Except for left-most — Uncle Frost. Russia has decided to pull him from the poll because International Olympic Committee will have all rights for the mascot. Uncle Frost is Russia’s Santa, so it would cause some issues in the future.

Anyway, you can find more information and pictures at talisman.sochi2014.com

Which one would vote for?

A nationwide referendum will be held in Russia to  choose  a  symbol for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee President Dmitry Chernyshenko said.

“As  for  choosing  an  Olympic mascot, it will be done three years before the event in compliance with the rules. A mascot will be selected through  a  nationwide  referendum.  We  will  ask the entire country to choose an   image   that   will  symbolize  the  Sochi  Olympic  Games,” Chernyshenko said at a presentation of the event’s brand on Tuesday.

– Interfax

I thought I was special. But I guess I’m not… :)
There are a couple of comments from chernyshenko@mtu-net.pp.ru in my previous post on Sochi Olympic mascot, I was wondering if it could possibly be from the Sochi-2014 team. But then found this same text on few other Russian sites, mostly forums and news discussion boards. It’s someone’s way to reach to the Internet community to get as many votes as possible, let’s just hope this “someone” is on Sochi-2014’s organizational team :)

In any event, I’ve translated this list, and added some comments for things that may not be obvious for foreigners, hopefully this helps you understand some of those picks.

So, what do you think should be Sochi’s Olympic mascot?!!

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Ok, there’s no official contest for Olympics 2014. Not yet anyways. However Sochi-2014 organizational team promised in the recent interview that the Mascot will be selected through public contest. So, people didn’t wait long to overwhelm them with ideas :) It seems most people want to see a bear as a mascot for Sochi Olympics. All kind of “bear” ideas were sent organizational team’s way, from reusing “Mishka” of 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow (everyone in Russia adores him! :)) to other “Mishkas” from cartoons and famous paintings. Other, more exotic, ideas include ski-jumping dolphin, a seagull (the last name of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, Chaika, means “seagull” in Russian; he was just selected to keep an eye on Olympic money spending), and five (for Olympic rings) gas pipelines with flames :o) But it is very likely that Cheburashka, current Russian Olympic Team mascot, will become Sochi Games mascot. Besides, (american) people confuse it with a bear all the time anyways, I have one in my office : )

Mascot of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow

I personally think, that most likely the mascot will be created by the professionals (please, God, make them NOT select the same ones that did London’s logo!), and they just want to see what people want, and to keep up the excitement.

So, do you have an idea for Sochi Olympics mascot? If you do, you can send it to the head of Sochi-2014 team Dmitry Chernyshenko to chernyshenko@mtu-net.pp.ru

Chebu in my office :)