The mascot of the Paris Olympic Games may not seem all that mighty to those outside the host country, but that little red hat, known as a Phrygian cap (or a liberty cap), is a symbol of the French liberation.
The Phryges (pronounced "FREE-jes") were announced as the mascots of the Paris Games in November 2022. Paris 2024 said the caps are "sporty, love to party ... and are so French."
But the little red caps — one each for the Olympics and the Paralympics — have so much more to them than meets the eye.
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"We chose the Phrygian cap because it’s a very strong symbol for the French Republic," Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, said when the mascots were revealed. "For French people, it’s a very well-known object that is a symbol of freedom, an object that will represent mascots all across the world. The fact that the Paralympics mascot has a visible disability also sends a strong message: to promote inclusion."
Estanguet added the caps are on "a mission of revolution through sport."
When French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison in July 1789, kicking off the French Revolution, they wore the caps, which have since been known as a symbol of liberty and the revolution. Even today, protesters will don the caps as they march.
The Phrygian cap was worn during many French historical moments aside from the revolution, such as the constructions of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and the Eiffel Tower, and at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.
Today, the Phrygian caps can be seen in every town hall and on French coins and stamps.
The Paris 2024 Phryges are blue, white and red — the colors of the French flag — and feature a gold "Paris 2024" logo on their chests. Their eyes are made out of a "cockade of France," or a knot of ribbons that is the French national ornament, according to Olympics.com.
France has a rich history when it comes to Olympic mascots. The first, Shuss, was unveiled for the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble, according to NBC Olympics.
Mascots on a mission of inclusivity
Organizers of the Paris Games called out the Phryges' mission of inclusivity.
"We chose an ideal rather than an animal," Estanguet said, according to Olympics.com.
Organizers have described the mascots for the Olympic and Paralympic Games as belonging to a larger family of Phryges.
"They are the two main characters in a large tribe; they’re part of the family of Phryges," Paris 2024 brand director Julie Matikhine said, according to Olympics.com. "According to our narrative, they have existed for thousands of years and were present during several key events in French history."
She continued: "Now they have returned for this big event in France to lead a mission of revolution through sport. The aim is to show that sport can change everything in society. The objective is to show that sport and its values can do great things. It’s about fraternity, solidarity and it helps society grow."
The Olympic Phryge "is a tactician with a calculating, mathematical brain. Its methodical mind and alluring charm are sure to inspire people to get involved with sport," while the Paralympic Phryge, identifiable by its prosthesis and racing blade, "is spontaneous and full of energy and enthusiasm," according to NBC Olympics.
Their joint motto is: "Alone we go faster, but together we go further."
