Just what exactly is the strange-looking Paris 2024 Olympic mascot?
The Internet reacted with theories and they are pretty hilarious
The Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee unveiled the new mascots for the 2024 Games, and the Internet is a little skeptical, to say the least. It’s difficult to know what they are meant to represent–both mascots display the French colours of blue, white and red, and they are vaguely triangular. The organizing committee revealed that they are meant to represent Phrygian caps, which originated in Eastern Europe and came to represent the freedom won during the French Revolution, but the Internet has other ideas.
On vous présente la Phryge Olympique et la Phryge Paralympique !
Les mascottes de #Paris2024 ✨
Sportives, fêtardes… et françaises ??Here are the Olympic Phryge and the Paralympic Phryge!
The #Paris2024 mascots ✨
They are sporty, love to party… and are so French ?? pic.twitter.com/plupKzQqNs— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) November 14, 2022
Some people said it reminded them of a beloved children’s show.
https://mobile.twitter.com/jamiesportstwit/status/1592144964091523074
Others said it looked like something that should be in the sky.
“What’s it supposed to be? A bird with sneakers?” @2018Josh tweeted.
Several others expressed the peculiar triangular-shaped figure looks like a cartoon of a female body part brought to life.
According to the Olympic organizing committee, the mascot, who goes by the nickname Les Phryges, was designed to represent the Phrygian cap, a red bonnet famously worn by Marianne, the personification of freedom and democracy against all forms of oppression during the French Revolution.
French spirit + revolution through sport = The Phryges!
Julie Matikhine, Paris 2024's brand director, explains why ?
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⁰Esprit Français + révolution par le sport = Les Phryges !
Julie Matikhine, directrice de la marque de #Paris2024, nous explique pourquoi ? pic.twitter.com/ijvri5k7uM— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) November 15, 2022
This is the third connection the 2024 Games has made to the French Revolution of 1789 to 1799. The route for the Olympic marathon follows the same course as the women’s march on Versailles, which was one of the earliest and most significant events of the French Revolution. The logo for the Paris Olympics also pays tribute to the French Republic, combining three symbols–a gold medal, a flame and Marianne.
Although we are 600 days away from the start of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games, the mascots are already on sale online. The goal of the mascots is to connect with kids, fans and French culture.
