Indian athletes threaten to boycott Olympics over Dow sponsorship

[fd24]

The Indian Olympic Association may boycott the London Olympics in protest at Dow Chemical's involvement as a sponsor after a group of India's current and former Olympians organised a petition calling for athletes not to travel to London.

"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 a petition sent to the Indian government.

Dow, which will create the £7m wrap around the Olympic Stadium, has links to Union Carbide Corporation, the firm responsible for the Bhopal gas disaster in 1984 that led to thousands of deaths at the time and which many campaigners believe is still affecting the health of people in the area.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan, a minister in the Bhopal region, has backed the athletes' firm stance and demanded in a letter to India's sports minister, Ajay Maken, that the government support a boycott if Dow's sponsorship continues.

V K Malhotra, the acting president of the Indian Olympic Association, said a meeting was scheduled in 10 days' time in which the matter would be discussed after first hearing the response of the government to the petition.

The Indian government is still pursuing a further £1.1bn from Dow for victims after Union Carbide paid £300m as compensation.

Talk of a boycott will put more pressure on the London 2012 Organising Committee, which has defended the deal with Dow, despite protests from campaign groups and MPs who claim it has outstanding liabilities relating to the disaster.

The London 2012 chairman, Lord Coe, said: "I am satisfied that the ownership, operation and the involvement either at the time of the disaster or at the final settlement was not the responsibility of Dow."

A spokesperson for Dow said: "It is disappointing and misguided that some people are trying to assign blame and responsibility to Dow.

"Dow acquired the shares of Union Carbide Corporation more than 16 years after the tragedy and 10 years after the settlement agreement – paid by Union Carbide Corporation and Union Carbide India, Limited – was approved by the Indian Supreme Court."


India must be commended for taking such a stance...

Indian athletes threaten to boycott Olympics over Dow sponsorship | Sport | The Guardian

 

[isro2222]

I think they should boycott but its not going to happen as uk and india's relation is strong.... i personaly don't like brits. They don't give sh1T What happened in india (and so does our goverment). India should boycott but it aint going to happen....

 

[fd24]

India is a huge country and by taking this stance - its going to catch the attention of a lot of countries. It wont go unnoticed and shows the intent India has exposing scumbags like this.

 

[isro2222]

@superkaif you are in england.... u know how brits are. not all brits are bad but most of them are bad.... They treat indians, pakistanis, bangladeshi, black people like as if we are Sh1Ts. I think every asian country should boycott this london olympics.... Brits been kicked out from every nation that it tried to rule.... India, america, ireland etc etc. We have seen brits are famous looters and recent riots proved that.... Not all brits are bad but many brits are racist.... When a brit makes a decision to go in india then others warn them saying dont go or your tummy might get upset or u might get killed.... This brits loves eating same indian curry in england but dont like who cooked them.... Match fixing been done by australia too but pakistan been made scapegoat.... Yes match fixing not good but why target pakistan alone.... Brits looted india and when they left they broke india and behind they left disgusting Congress party to make sure india never progress or don't progress fast enough.... In america brits are most hated.... Brits are hated all over the world....

 

[fd24]

@superkaif you are in england.... u know how brits are. not all brits are bad but most of them are bad.... They treat indians, pakistanis, bangladeshi, black people like as if we are Sh1Ts. I think every asian country should boycott this london olympics.... Brits been kicked out from every nation that it tried to rule.... India, america, ireland etc etc. We have seen brits are famous looters and recent riots proved that.... Not all brits are bad but many brits are racist.... When a brit makes a decision to go in india then others warn them saying dont go or your tummy might get upset or u might get killed.... This brits loves eating same indian curry in england but dont like who cooked them.... Match fixing been done by australia too but pakistan been made scapegoat.... Yes match fixing not good but why target pakistan alone.... Brits looted india and when they left they broke india and behind they left disgusting Congress party to make sure india never progress or progress fast enough.... In america brits are most hated.... Brits are hated all over the world....

Cant say they are all the same brother but you have hit got it spot on.
They perhaps take advantage of our nations "friendly attitude" and then snigger behind our backs.
Buddy - What you have to understand is you are 100% correct at the mess they left behind - but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and India and the sub continent is coming stronger by the day.
By taking the stance India has is a real shot up their backside because to exclude 1.3 billion people from the Olympics puts a damp cloth on the whole event.
By the way - you can tell and see racism from people that we are talking about even before they start talking to you!
Well said

 

[Götterdämmerung]

Dow should be sued until they pay compensation for the victims of the Bhopal catastrophy. It's quite a shame that some people in the government could even think of co-operating with Dow to send the athlets to London. Is that some kind of campaign to whitewash Dow's crime?

 

[fd24]

Dow should be sued until they pay compensation for the victims of the Bhopal catastrophy. It's quite a shame that some people in the government could even think of co-operating with Dow to send the athlets to London. Is that some kind of campaign to whitewash Dow's crime?

If India stick to their guns - lets see what the reaction is. Do they take the money or remove 1.5 billion viewers from their bottom line figure? The indian companies are a massive global financial hole in the finances of the games if they back up the stance of the nation.

 

[beijingwalker]

@superkaif you are in england.... u know how brits are. not all brits are bad but most of them are bad.... They treat indians, pakistanis, bangladeshi, black people like as if we are Sh1Ts. I think every asian country should boycott this london olympics....

Beating them on their own turf is a better revenge,we'll smash them in sports to teach them how good they are.

 

[fd24]

Beating them on their own turf is a better revenge,we'll smash them in sports to teach them how good they are.

I agree brother - and i will be supporting China to do that. I believe what India are doing is making a powerful statement and that will leave a mark even if they send their athletes. India are on the whole a nation which is understanding and accommodate but this time they have been firm and i back them.

 

[JAT BALWAN]

Beating them on their own turf is a better revenge,we'll smash them in sports to teach them how good they are.

But they`ll earn a lot if games were played... no matter who wins...

In salon ko to paise paise ke liye tarsana chahiye....

 

[Kalyugi Mirza]

I agree brother - and i will be supporting China to do that. I believe what India are doing is making a powerful statement and that will leave a mark even if they send their athletes. India are on the whole a nation which is understanding and accommodate but this time they have been firm and i back them.

ya hope so this time we will teach them how to behave with other nations

 

[beijingwalker]

I think boycotting Olympics maybe is in favor of some governments,but it is very unfair to the athletes,Olympic Games takes place once every 4 years,to many athletes 4 years could mean the whole time of their athletic career,if missed,they would either retire or have passed their heydays to achieve their athletic glory.China boycotted 1980 Mosco Olympics and many China's world top athletes missed their chance to claim the Olmypic gold for which they had been training for over a decade.till today they stll wring their hands and rue the day.

 

[matrix_neo]

India must be commended for taking such a stance...

Indian athletes threaten to boycott Olympics over Dow sponsorship | Sport | The Guardian

I like your complete thought process!! But that sentence in blue doesn't make much sense....

 

[humlog]

who the hell indian sports persons think they are ?as if they are the big sporting power in the world whose absence at Olympics will cause a lot of concern to the world.It doesn't matter to the world if india participates or not.Btw indian should look into there own girehbaan before accusing UK for allowing the DOW sponsorship to the Olympics.It were the indian PM,CM who allowed Dow go scottfree from india and watever meager $200 million or so amount dow gave for rehabilitation of bhopal gas sufferers ,india's own PM,CM, and politicians ate away with the helping hand from the judiciary.So why blame UK,USA,DOW.first get your own house in order then you have right to blame others.

 

[Pakchina]

The presence or absence of Indian athletes will not have any effect on the London Olympics as far as the sporting event is concerned. The medal tally table will remain unchange. If cricket was an olympic sport then the effect would have been felt on the stadium attendance. But cricket will never be an olympic sport as it is played only by the ex British colonies that is a handful of countries. However if India has the ambition to organize once a day the Olympic it should make it a point to be present in the London Olympic Games.