Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to make ‘Olly’ the permanent mascot for all national and international sports events to be held in Odisha.
Olly was the mascot of Asian Athletics Championship (AAC) 2017, which the city hosted in July. It was picked to spread the message for protection of the endangered Olive Ridley turtle.
With the decision, Olly will now be the official mascot of the upcoming World Hockey League finals scheduled for December this year and Hockey World Cup in November 2018.
“Olly caught the fancy and imagination of people in the state after it was unveiled during the Asian Athletics Championships. We will continue with it as mascot for sports in Odisha with suitable variations depending on the events,” said Sports Secretary Vishal Dev.
The promotional programmes for World Hockey League finals will start from November 1, with Olly playing a prominent role.
