India to raise issue of Dow's sponsorship at London Olympics

Dec 5, 2011, 12:30 GMT

New Delhi - India on Monday asked its Olympic association to raise the issue of Dow Chemical Company's sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympics, news reports and officials said.

A gas leak at a Union Carbide Corporation plant in Bhopal, capital of the central state of Madhya Pradesh, in 1984 led to the deaths of at least 3,000 people. Union Carbide was taken over by Dow in 2001.

Survivors of the tragedy have demanded that India pull out of the Olympics over Dow's involvement with the Games.

In a letter to the Indian Olympics Association (IOA), the Sports Ministry said: 'Strong public sentiments exist and a number of ex-Olympians have also raised concerns,' NDTV network reported.

'We would advise the IOA to raise this matter immediately with the IOC, while keeping the government informed.'

The ministry meanwhile said the issue of Dow's liability towards the victims was subjudice and the Indian government had filed a lawsuit against the US-based company.

Responding, the IOA said it would convey the concerns of the victims regarding the sponsorship issue with the organizers.

'We will try to make the Games organizers aware of the feeling of people who have suffered due to that tragedy,' IOA president VK Malhotra said in a statement.

'It is not only 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,' Malhotra said adding that a 'tainted sponsor' was associated with the event.

Senior IOA officials have maintained that India will not pull out of the games over the deal, local news outlets reported. Dow, which is sponsoring a decorative wrap to be installed on the Olympic Stadium, however, had said all liabilities over the disaster have been settled.

The London Olympics organizers have so far defended the Dow Chemical sponsorship deal but some British MPs had objected to its association with the Olympics.

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