No Gold Medals For These Not So Great London Olympic Mascots

The London 2012 Olympic committee launched the spiritless and inert Olympic mascots more than two years ago with the help of the equally inanimate Olympic chairman Lord Coe who insisted he wanted to bring the fun back into sport.

The mascots were instantly disliked and described as ugly and grotesque.Apparently Wenlock and Mandeville(does any one know which is which) were made from two drops of shiny steel, and it seems everything that glitters does not turn to gold.

I for one cannot see eye to eye with these monstrous creations, they both seem rather wooden and dull.These cold creatures are not cuddly and certainly no fun.When the Olympics are over they may find a future in Futurama cartoon series.

The city of London has already staged two superb games, and it was London that brought us the first and greatest sporting mascot in World Cup Willie who inspired the world's finest ever football team to a World cup triumph at Wembley Stadium.

Willie was a roaring success and it is hard to see the memorably named Wenlock and Mandeville having the same impact.The committee may have missed another trick as the tinny duo also have the Olympic logo on their chests which to many of us,has already become similarly forgettable.

The British Olympic team mascot is Pride the Lion. In this patriotic Jubilee year of 2012, couldn't the Olympic committee have chosen the more traditional lion figure as the Olympic mascot to inspire our athletes to gold medal glory.

Now I know it's too late for the Olympic committee to show their metal and swallow their pride, but who do you think would be the better Olympic mascot?

Here are my favourite Olympic mascots that I consider to be worthy of a medal.

Bronze

The 1972 Munich Olympics was the first to use an official mascot,and I remember it well..West Germany brought us a daschund named Waldi.The hound was coloured with green,blue and yellow stripes,which may have seemed a strange choice.But the absence of black and red was intended to symbolise peace,however the games were marred by a violent siege.Waldi the daschund still deserves a medal for his inspirational design.

Silver

Izzy was produced for 1996 Olympic games and was a rather intellectual looking figure,and curious.(I am still not sure what it is exactly represents), tough we were told he lived in a fantasy world inside the flame of the Olympic Torch.Izzy certainly became a marketing success. I remember playing the infuriating video and computer games, Izzies Quest.However Izzy and the spin off products are still collectible today,making him quite memorable

Gold

Sam the Eagle was a great cartoon character,and was the mascot for the Los Angeles Olympic games in 1984. I think it represented the USA very well(a games that was actually boycotted by the Soviet Union). The Disney designed figure, instantly reminded me of a cross between The Mad Hatter and Donald duck.Still Sam the Eagle is a colourful patriotic mascot that soars above its rivals and is a worthy winner.

List of Olympic Mascots