The Olympic Games are not only intended to be a stage for professional athletes, but also a symbol of peace and international understanding. This “Olympic spirit” has been represented in the form of a mascot since 1968. Paris also has a role to play as host city Summer Olympics developed its own mascot that should represent the Olympic spirit as much as its French Native city.
The Phryges are the official mascots of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Instead of the usual animal mascot, the French organizers have come up with something new for Paris 2024. as with them Olympic pictograms Here too the tradition was to a certain extent obsolete. Because Friges are not French animals, but hats. But these have at least as much connection to Paris as the French rooster, which is often used to represent France, especially at sporting events. Furthermore, the Friges also have a connection with antiquity. Greecethe birthplace of the Olympic Games.
Phryges are small, mostly red caps worn by freed slaves in Greek Phrygia. During the French Revolution, the cap finally became a symbol of freedom. For this reason, the French Revolution is often represented in images as a woman wearing a Phrygian cap.
What is also new this time is that there will not be completely different mascots for the Olympic Games and the Paris Olympic Games. Paralympic Games gives. Instead, they are both represented by Phrygian caps, although they differ in their personalities.
Meaning and history of Olympic mascots
The organizers of the 1968 Olympic Games in Grenoble first came up with the idea of embodying the Olympic spirit. At that time, “Schuss” was designed, the first mascot of the Olympic Games, still unofficial. However, it was only a rough stylization of a skier.
Only in the following years did mascots become more sophisticated and increasingly symbolic. Animal motifs predominated that had a clear connection with the place. At the 2016 Olympic Games, for example, Vinicius was created, a mythical creature made up of several animal species. Brazil duration. In 2024, Paris has gone a step further and completely abandoned the animal motif, but has retained the idea of cultural connection with the Olympic venue and values.