Mascot Of 2014 Sochi Olympics: Putin’s Favorite Snowboarding Leopard

In Russia, whoever or whatever has Vladimir PutinVladimir Putin by his side is a winner - even a mascot of the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

On Saturday, Russians were to choose the mascots of the next Sochi Olympics by telephone voting in a live broadcast on Chanel One. Officially, the Putin’s favorite snow leopard received 28% of the votes, followed by the polar bear in second place with 18% and the hare in third (16%).

Other two mascots, the Ray of Light and the Snowflake, were chosen for the 2014 Paralympics winter games.

But it’s the leopard that provoked the most reactions - it has already been called “a symbol of Olympic corruption”. The local reports said firstly the favorite was a portrayal of Russian Father Christmas Ded Moroz, until the organizers ditched him from the competition. Then Putin’s choice got a prominent boost – and finally won the vote. Indeed, according to the Interfax, just hours before the announcement the Russian PM said the "mighty, fast and beautiful" leopard would be his “symbolic choice”.

At the same time, the second-placed polar bear is being discussed as a possible plagiarism of Misha the bear, the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

"This polar bear, everything is taken from mine, the eyes, nose, mouth, and smile. I don't like being robbed," Misha's creator Viktor Chizhikov said for Russian radio.

Despite the controversies, the head of the Sochi organizing committee Dmitry Chernyshenko said there won’t be a recount of the Saturday’s vote.