Govt should stop double speak on Dow Chemical: IOA

The International Olympic Association (IOA) today came down heavily on the government for adopting double standards on Dow Chemicals' sponsorship of the London Games and said the Sport Ministry's plans of selective boycott of the London Olympics will have "serious repercussions".

Sport Minister Ajay Maken yesterday said that it will be the athletes who will play a vital role in deciding whether India will boycott the games, if the IOC refuse to drop Dow Chemicals as a sponsor of the London Olympics.

However, the IOA asked the government to spell out its stand clearly as on one hand it is talking about boycotting the Games, while, on the other, the Agriculture Ministry is holding a seminar sponsored by Dow.

"The Government's double speak has created more problems and weakened our case further. While it wants that organisers should drop Dow chemical's as sponsor of the Games, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) which is under the Agriculture Ministry, held a seminar last month which was sponsored by Dow," IOA Acting President Vijay Kumar Malhotra said in a statement.

"I am surprised at Sports Ministry's attitude. While IOA want to cooperate with it on this issue they are playing politics. Why they have not replied to our letters is also open to interpretation.

"The selective leaks in the media by the Sports Ministry are creating more problems. The IOC charter is very clear and strict on such issue. The talk of selective boycott will have very serious repercussions and will ultimately boomerang," he added.

IOA has received several queries from abroad on this issue and they also want to know "what action Indian Government has taken against Dow Chemicals which has a large scale operation in India."