core sector communique

Sponsoring of Olympic Games, 2012

London 2012 will be the first Olympic Games after Dow Chemical Company signed the agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2010. It has been declared the official World-Wide Olympic Partner and the official Chemistry Company for the Olympic Movement upto 2020. This was stated by Shri Ajay Maken, Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs & Sports, in the Lok Sabha today, in a written reply to a question by Shrimati Darshana Jardosh and Shri Maheshwar Hazari. Moreover, it is ‘learnt’ that as part of the Agreement with IOC, Dow will partner the IOC and the National Olympic Committees around the world, including India. Therefore, the Dow – IOC Agreement is likely to have an impact on the activities of the IOA directly.

The Minister further stated that the Government has asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to raise the issue immediately and emphatically with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and London Organising Committee for Olympic Games (LOCOG) in the context of the sensitivities of the victims and the public at large, associated with Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 1984 and since the association of Dow Chemicals Company militates against the high ethical principles represented by the Olympic Movement and enshrined in the Olympic Charter. The Government has also advised the Indian Olympic Association to study the Charter of International Olympic Committee and examine the legal provisions to deal with such situations and obtain appropriate legal advice in the matter.