The Olympic Bear from the 1980 Moscow Games will become the mascot of the Russian national team, Russian Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Mikhail Degtyarev said during an Olympic Assembly, TASS reported.
"A new unified mascot for the Russian Olympic team has been developed, based on one of the most recognizable sports mascots in our country's history, the Olympic Bear," Degtyarev stated. "At the moment, 'Mishka' is being registered as a trademark with the Federal Service for Intellectual Property."
"It looks great and will replace the blue bear, no one knows where that one came from. We will have a normal bear we are accustomed to," the minister added.