New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday said that it will convey the concerns of the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, former Olympians and others to organizers of the 2012 London Games regarding its sponsorship deal with Dow Chemical.
IOA has received representations from several former Olympians and NGO’s protesting the London Games Organisers link with Dow Chemicals. Dow bought US chemical firm Union Carbide, whose Bhopal plant in leaked toxic gases in 1984, killing thousands of people in what is described as World’s worst Industrial disaster.
“We will discuss this issue in our Executive Board & General Body Meeting on 15th December, 2011, IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said in a statement here. “We will try to make Games Organisers aware of the feeling 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 NGO’s and other bodies, it is no longer a local issue”,
Dow Chemical will foot the bill of a temporary decorative wrap over London's Olympic Stadium and this move has created a “dismay amongst the victims and others who see Olympic Games as celebration of best of human spirits”
Prof Malhotra said the former Olympians, I.O.A. and the governments are not happy that sporting extravaganza should be associated with any ‘tainted’ sponsors. ”We understand the feelings of the players, government and the NGOs” he said. “We will discuss it seriously and see what we can do at our level”
IOA will take up this issue with the organizers and “we will also keep the Union Government in the loop” he said.
IOA is bound by the Olympic charter and “we will play our role within the frame work of this charter” Prof. Malhotra added.
