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Children to choose mascot for 2020 Olympics

Since 1972, every Olympics has had an official mascot. The cartoon character is used on posters and in merchandise. It is there to add excitement and a sense of identity to the games. At first, mascots were animals typical of the region: Munich had a dachshundA breed of dog with short legs and a long body., Moscow had a bear, and so on. Recently, they have become more experimental. In 2012, London based its two mascots on the steel girdersLong, thick pieces of metal. used to build the stadium. The designs often create controversy. Some lead to political scandals, like SochiA Russian city. 's leopard. Others — such as Atlanta's "Izzy" — just looked a bit rubbish, causing embarrassment in the host city. Japan loves mascots: many companies and even local governments have one. That said, would the Olympics be better off without them? No way! The Olympics are not just about winning medals. They are a way for the host city to find its identity, and show it off to the world. That is why the presentation of the games is as important as the sports. The mascot is a key part of this. If it means children can get involved in the organisation, then all the better. Only a few Olympic mascots have been genuinely popular. The rest are lame, weird or downright creepy. At worst, they divide people in the host city rather than uniting them. The idea that a single cartoon character can symbolise a whole culture is nonsense anyway. Mascots just exist to sell merchandise. Let's get rid of them.KeywordsDachshund - A breed of dog with short legs and a long body.

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