IOA won’t boycott Olympics 2012; sports ministry for axing Dow

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has said they will not boycott this year’s Olympic Games in London despite the controversy over Dow Chemical’s sponsorship. IOA acting president VK Malhotra said on Monday they may take part under protest.

“There is no question of an Olympic boycott but we may decide to take part under protest. We will decide this in our meeting on March 2,” Malhotra said. There have been calls to drop Dow, which is sponsoring an $11-million decorative wrap that will be installed around London’s Olympic Stadium.

Even the sports ministry shot off a strongly-worded letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), asking them to reconsider their position on the issue. “A false campaign has been launched by the Dow Chemical’s saying that matter has been settled. It is not correct. The case is still pending in the court and no final compensation has been made. It is IOA’s considered opinion that Dow Chemical’s should be removed as the sponsors of the Games,” sports ministry joint secretary Rahul Bhatnagar wrote to IOC president Jacques Rogge in the letter.

The IOC had, however, maintained that Dow Chemicals was not responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy as it had no ownership stakes in Union Carbide till 2000, adding that they appreciated the concern of the IOA for the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy.