Indian Olympic Association To Lodge Protest Over DOW Sponsorship of 2012 London Olympics

Indian Olympic Association To Lodge Protest Over DOW Sponsorship of 2012 London Olympics

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Thursday came out in open against Dow Chemical's sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympics and has decided to lodge its protest to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

At its general body meeting in New Delhi, the IOA decided that it would seek the removal of Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide, responsible for the thousands of deaths during the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. However, the issue of boycotting the event did not even come up for discussion.

Acting IOA president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the IOA will convey the sentiments of Indians to IOC chief Jacques Rogge and London Games Organising Committee chief Sebastian Coe.

"It is IOA's considered opinion that the sponsorship by Dow Chemical is against the spirit of the Olympic ideals. Olympic Games showcase the best of human endeavour, sporting spirit and camaraderie, and to have Dow Chemical even as one of the sponsors negates all these lofty values," said Malhotra.

"IOA's views not only reflect the concerns of the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy but the feelings of millions of people all over the world and it is not a partisan demand.

"We in fact are making IOC aware of the feelings of the people who have suffered due to that tragedy. It is not only the Indians who are protesting this sponsorship; there has been an outcry against this world over from various NGOs and other bodies. It is no longer a local issue."

There has been a huge outcry in India over Dow's involvement with the Games. Olympians and the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy have demanded either Dow's sponsorship be withdrawn or India boycott the event.

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DOW continues to allow people to be poisoned by Dioxin in Bhopal... DOW continues to disavow participation in Agent Orange poisoning of Vietnam that still kills agriculture, water and haunts the people as babies are still being born with its effects... DOW continues to perpetuate the killing of biodiversity with monoculture GMO seeds and chemicals in collusion with its protege' Monsanto. DOW continues to be cited for water pollution in Michigan. This is just the tip of the iceberg for a despicable inhumane company that has toxified this planet and now seeks to "greenwash" iitself at an event that stands for everything it does not. it is time for the wordl to stan dup to companies like DOW and not allow them to buy their way into forgetting the lives that have been affectd and lost and the water that has been toxified all for their profit!