A cross between a cow, dog and goat named "Yodli" has been unveiled as the mascot for next year's Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne ©Lausanne 2020

A cross between a cow, dog and goat named "Yodli" has been unveiled as the mascot for next year's Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne here today.

Yodli was officially revealed to the crowd prior to a Swiss National Hockey League match between Lausanne Hockey Club and HC Davos on the eve of the one year to go milestone until the opening of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and Virginie Faivre, who replaced the late Patrick Baumann as head of the Lausanne 2020 Organising Committee, were among those in attendance.

Lausanne 2020 claim the yodel singing technique, popular in Switzerland and in areas of France, was the inspiration for the name of the masoct.

Yodli is a cross between a cow, goat and the Saint Bernard breed of dog, all of which are commonly found in the Swiss mountains.

The design and name of the mascot were chosen by students from ERACOM, the Romande School of Arts and Communications.

Around 140 students from the school took part in the process and presented their ideas to Lausanne 2020, the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Museum.

They took inspiration from Yoggl and Sjogg, the mascots of the first two editions of the Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck in 2012 and Lillehammer in 2016 respectively.

Yodli is said to have been born and raised in the Swiss mountains, areas of which will play host to sporting events when the Olympic capital hosts the event next year.

Snowboarding is listed as Yodli's favourite sport, while it is claimed the multiple origins of the mascot "embody the diversity of the Youth Olympic Games participants".

Yodli was unveiled today before a Swiss ice hockey match ©ITG
Yodli was unveiled today before a Swiss ice hockey match ©ITG

The unveiling of the mascot is seen as a key milestone for Organising Committees of major events as the character will feature prominently in promoting the multi-sport Games.

Lausanne 2020 are due to mark one year to go to the start of the Winter Youth Olympics with a celebratory event at the Place des Médailles, which will host medal ceremonies, tomorrow.

The event in 2020 is due to run from January 9 to 22, with 1,880 athletes from more than 80 countries expected to compete.