Updated Olympic Mishka was a gift to the Day of Alushta. This symbol is a favorite of Soviet and post-Soviet generation and its restoration made possible by artist Andrew Stoykov.

Andrew Stoikov found the original author's sketch of the symbol of the Olympic Games 1980 and did everything possible to Alushta Olympic Mishka is fully consistent with it. All the colors of the lines on the belt with the Olympic rings will now match the original: blue, yellow, black, green, red. Originally Alushta Olympic Mishka met guests at the bus station then it wandered in Alushta and finally found its place on the central waterfront.

The history of a symbol Olympics 1980 - The Olympic Mishka is very interesting.

Long before the Olympics in 1977 the program "In the world of animals" conducted a survey of TV viewers. Most of viewers voted for the bear as the true Russian beast. Therefore "on top" it was decided that the symbol of the Olympics will be The Bear. The competition attracted more than 40 000 people.
 
Artist Vladimir Pertsev invited the artist Victor Chizhikov to take part in creating of the Olympic Games symbol of the 80th. Gathered in the studio and each of the artists made many pencil sketches on 100 sheets of paper. The Olympic Committee adopted the draft and chose drawing of the bear by author Viktor Chizhikov. He was asked till April 1977 to make the Olympic Mishka in color.

In a while there was no belt on the Olympic Mishka which distinguishes it from other bears. The author tried different options but all were unsuccessful. And once in a dream Viktor Chizhikov saw the belt and in the morning he came to Olimpiysky Committee and added the belt to the original image of Olympic Mishka. After adding the belt bear was very athletic like a weight lifter. The author Viktor Chizhikov likes his Mishka very much.

On 23rd of September there was a phone call from the Olympic Committee - the bear was confirmed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. You can not imagine what experienced Olympic Mishka!

According to Soviet law as the author Victor Chizhikov relied 1% of funds from the sale of products using the image of Olympic Mishka. But when they counted what it would be the amount - Olympic committee asked Victor Chizhikov to sign the waiver of royalties. He also had to remove his signature from the original drawing so the entire committee can patent the authorship. When Victor Chizhikov refused the officials have done it all themselves. As a result the author of the Olympic symbol received a total of 1900 Soviet rubles.

Especially memorable Olympic participants and spectators of the final evening in the Luzhniki stadium when Olympic Mishka accompanied by balloons departing in the air and wonderful song "Goodbye, Our Tender Misha..." by Alexandra Pahmutova and Nikolay Dobronravov.

Unfortunately the original Olympic symbol which flew into the sky by balloons suffered a sad fate. Foreigners wanted to buy it for a very decent amount of 100 000 DM. But the leadership of the Soviet Union refused - the symbols are not sold. As a result the original Olympic Mishka just rotted away in a basement...