What are Phyrges? Everything to know about the Paris 2024 Olympic mascot
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 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."
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