©IOC

Misha the bear cub was the official mascot of the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games, created by the Muscovite painter, V. Chizhikov. Misha wore a belt in the Olympic colours and had a cheeky smile; he was the veritable embodiment of quiet strength. The choice of a bear for this mascot was rapidly imposed on the members of the Organising Committee. Indeed, following a poll during a very popular Russian television show, more than 45,000 letters were sent by TV viewers, with the vast majority asking for a bear to be the inspiration for the OG mascot.