Olly, the mascot of the Men’s Hockey World Cup was launched today in the temple town of Puri in Odisha State. The mascot represents the endangered Olive Ridley turtles, which comes in troves to the Puri and adjoining beaches annually, has been the mascot for every international tournament that is held in Odisha.
The mascot made its entry in style, cutting through the waves of the Puri sea beach in a jet ski.
“We are lucky to have Olly as our official mascot for the Hockey World Cup. Not only does he bring enthusiasm and positivity about the Hockey World Cup, he also raises awareness about hockey as a sport and sportsmanship as a virtue. Coupled with that, he also makes an emotional appeal for us to be more concerned about our surrounding environment and to take steps to protect his habitat and fellow Olive Ridley turtle brothers,” said Odisha Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera.
Olly had been a major attraction even during the Hockey World League Finals last year, when the mascot caught the attention of not just the visitors but also international players, who danced and celebrated with it.