India to protest against Dow; won't boycott London Olympics

The Indian Olympic Association has decided to protest against the Dow sponsorship in the London Olympics but will not boycott the Games.

The association will send an official letter to the International Olympic Committee.

There have been calls for boycotting the Games due to Dow's links to Union Carbide responsible for the gas tragedy in Bhopal.

Nearly two decades after the tragedy, the site has still not been cleaned up but Dow maintains it came into the picture much later after it purchased Union Carbide and was not responsible.

On Wednesday, the Sports Ministry had shot off its second letter to the sports body, asking it to disassociate itself from Dow Chemicals which is a sponsor of the London Olympics.

The Ministry's letter, the second in the last two weeks, had reminded the IOA that it would be unacceptable to the government if Dow Chemicals, by virtue of its sponsorship association with IOC, was allowed to have sponsorship roles in India.

In a letter addressed to IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the Ministry expressed concern about the status of the contentious company as the official worldwide Olympic partner.