Who designed Vucko, the mascot of the 1984 Winter Olympics?

Jože Trobec designed Vučko, the wolf mascot of the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

Trobec was a Slovenian painter whose design won a public competition organized for the Sarajevo Games. The contest attracted 836 proposals, which were narrowed to six finalists before readers of newspapers and magazines voted on the winner.

Vučko represented the wolf, an animal associated with the Dinaric Alps surrounding Sarajevo. Trobec gave the character friendly expressions to soften the wolf’s traditionally fierce image. The name “Vučko” is related to the South Slavic word for wolf.

Vučko is sometimes confused with a fox because of his playful appearance and the Sarajevo nickname “Sneaky Fox.” However, the Olympic mascot was officially a wolf. He also remained a recognizable symbol of Sarajevo long after the Games ended, appearing in souvenirs, signs and local advertising.