Contest to design mascot for Sochi 2014 begins

The Organization Committee of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi has begun a national mascot designing contest, the president of ‘Sochi-2014’ Dmitry Chernyshenko said, RIA Novosti reports.

After February 7th, 2011 there will be online voting for the mascot, which will become a symbol not just for the country, but for the era as well, like Misha the bear at the 1980 Moscow games, Chernyshenko said.

Licensed use of the mascot will earn $50 mil for the Organization Committee. The demand for the chosen mascot will determine the efficiency of the program and the budget, he emphasized.