British parliamentarian slams IOC over Dow sponsorship

MUMBAI: Irrespective of the International Olympic Committee?s stand on Dow Chemical, the company‘s sponsorship of 2012 London Olympics has came under attack from British parliamentarian Barry Gardiner.

The North Brent MP termed the appointment of Dow Chemical Company as a sponsor a ‘sham‘ and going as far to allege that the procurement process was ‘rigged‘ in favour of the company.

He further opined that the organiser?s failure to cancel the sponsorship would lead to a ‘cloud‘ over the forthcoming Olympics. He also called for a full and transparent investigation of the process under which Dow became a sponsor.

"The entire procurement process appears to be a sham. The application window was only 10 days long. That is only 10 days to apply for a purported ?7 million contract, something unheard of in the Government or business worlds.

"We have now heard opposition from the Indian Olympic Association, Olympians, the Indian Government and even Locogs own sustainability commissioner. The Government must now intervene in this mess and act to kick Dow out of the Olympics."

The IOC has earlier defended its association with Dow Chemicals? by contending that the company had no ownership stakes in Union Carbide, the company responsible for Bhopal Gas Tragedy in 1984, till 2000.

IOC also said that its relationship with Dow Chemicals is well over 30 years and ?were aware of the Bhopal tragedy when discussing the partnership with Dow?.

However, the Indian Olympic Association has been maintaining that the world body must value the ?sentiments? of the people of India by disassociating with the chemical major.

Recently, Meredith Alexander, a leading environmentalist, resigned from the Games‘ ethics committee protesting over Dow‘s involvement and accusing the organisers of behaving like ?apologists? for the company.