Olympics: The prospect of a possible boycott by India of the London 2012 Games has receded after the country's Olympic chief insisted there would be no vote on the issue.
VK Malhotra, acting president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), said anger among some athletes about Dow Chemical sponsoring London 2012 would be discussed but that a boycott was not on the agenda.
Dow Chemical, who are sponsoring the ‘wrap’ of the Olympic Stadium, own Union Carbide, the chemical company responsible for the Bhopal gas leak disaster in 1984 when thousands lost their lives.
Malhotra told the Press Trust of India: “There is no question of India boycotting the London Olympics. We are not boycotting the Olympic Games and that is very clear on IOA’s part.
“But we want to express in black and white that there has been opposition in the country with the London Games being associated with Dow Chemical. We have to take into account their sentiments.
“I can’t say now whether we are going to ask them to withdraw Dow Chemical. That’s what we are going to decide. Let us wait for two or three days. But we are not boycotting the London Olympics.”
Reports last week suggested that a vote on a boycott would take place at a meeting on December 5th, but Malhotra said there would just be a discussion on a petition protesting about Dow’s sponsorship of London 2012.
The International Olympic Committee insist a boycott was never a possibility.
An IOC spokesman said: “Talk of a boycott is misguided and premature.”
The issue also looks to have become a political football in India where Malhotra is a member of the opposition party.
Malhotra today launched a fierce attack on the country’s sports minister, Ajay Maken, after he had stated the need to get rid of people who ran sports bodies as personal fiefdoms.
Malhotra responded, telling the Times of India today: “A self-centred and egotistic sports minister is playing a dangerous game which will destroy the Olympic foundation in this country.”