POSTED: November 26th 2011
NewsUpdate
IOA to vote on proposed boycott for London 2012 over Dow Chemical
NIKKI WICKS / Sports Features Communications
LONDON: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will hold an emergency meeting December 5th to vote on a proposed boycott as the row intensifies over Dow Chemical’s involvement with London 2012.
A group of former and current Indian athletes have organized a petition calling for the government to back a boycott of London 2012 if Dow’s sponsorship of the Games continues.
According to reports, the growing dispute has prompted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to state that it would “oppose a boycott”, arguing that the only people hurt by a boycott would be the athletes.
Dow, which has a deal with LOGOC (London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) to a create a £7m wrap around the Olympic stadium, is owned by US firm Union Carbide Corporation, the company held responsible for the Bhopal gas disaster in 1984 that led to thousands of deaths.
It is understood that the Indian government is still pursuing a further £1.1bn from Dow for victims after Union Carbide paid £300m compensation.
"We feel that it will be against the basic principles of the Olympics charter to partner with Dow Chemical, which is responsible for the ongoing disaster in Bhopal," the athletes wrote in their petition.
The Bhopal gas disaster is considered as one of the world's worst industrial accidents. Almost 3,000 people died from the effects of the poisonous gas in the days following the disaster, with campaigners claiming that up to 20,000 others have since died from the effects of the leak.
Despite growing pressure from activists and high-profile politicians in the UK and India, LOGOC has defended the deal with Dow arguing that the ownership, operation and the involvement of the disaster was not the responsibility of Dow.
LOCOG confirmed that Dow would produce the wrap that will encircle London’s Olympic Stadium, in August this year.
The proposed wrap will comprise of 336 individual panels and will help the stadium become the visual centerpiece of the London 2012 Games. Installation was due to be completed by spring 2012.
The IOA’s vote is scheduled for December 5, days after the 27th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster.
Keywords · Indian Olympic Association · IOA · Dow Chemical · London 2012
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