Will ask organisers to drop Dow from sponsorship list, says IOA acting president Malhotra

New Delhi, Dec 16 (ANI): Acting President of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Vijay Kumar Malhotra has said it would soon register a strong complaint with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the controversial sponsorship of Dow Chemical for 2012 London Olympics.

Addressing mediapersons here, Malhotra said that he has already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue and sought the opinion of the Central Government.

"With respect to Dow Chemical, the executive board and general body of the Indian Olympic Association met today; all the members of the state of Olympic Association and various federations were present. It was unanimously decided that a strong protest would be expressed to the organising committee of the London Olympics and IOC (against the Dow Chemicals sponsorship," he added.

He further said that association of a tainted company like Dow Chemical would hamper the image of the celebrated sporting event.

"Despite Dow Chemical buying the tainted company many years after the gas leak tragedy, till date many cases are still going on and issues like compensation are yet to be settled. The liabilities still belong to them. Olympics is synonymous with friendship, camaraderie, love, sportsman spirit. Sponsorship by tainted companies for such prestigious sporting event, is not ethical, and is against the spirit of Olympics," he added.

He further informed that Sports Bill has been given thumbs down by the general body of IOA.

"We totally reject the Sports Bill, as it is a faulty one. It is attempt by the government to hijack all sports federations," said Malhotra.he Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs had earlier written to the Indian Olympic Association regarding the controversy surrounding sponsorship of the London Olympics by Dow Chemicals, a firm that is being blamed for the December 3, 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

The Sports Ministry had asked the IOA to raise the Dow issue with International Olympic Committee, as in India; there is strong public sentiment against Dow being the sponsor of an international sporting event. (ANI)