PCI joins chorus for removal of Dow Chemicals as Oly sponsors

New Delhi: The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has joined the IOA and the Indian government in demanding the ouster of Dow Chemicals as a sponsor of the London Olympics, saying its association is against the spirit of the Olympic movement.

PCI has written a letter to the International Paralympic Committee President Sir Phil Craven to register their protest. "M/s. Dow Chemicals Association as a sponsor to the London Olympics 2012 is against the spirit of the Olympic movement," PCI President Sultan Ahmed wrote in the letter. "Their small gesture of not allowing the logo after protest from various quarters on the wraps is highly inadequate and doesn`t reflect the will of the IOC to associate the responsibility of this firm to the greatest carnage called the Bhopal Disaster." PCI extended its full support to the government of India and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to demand ouster of Dow as sponsor. "We from Paralympic Committee of India unequivocally support the stand. We do not feel Dow Chemical embodies the integrity and humanity of the Olympic spirit." "Considering that the Olympic movement is about peace progress and the world coming together to celebrate our common humanity, we request you to terminate the contract of M/s. Dow Chemicals and have no association with them of any kind with immediate effect." International Olympics Committee (IOC) does not look in mood to remove Dow as sponsors of the Games as it refused to entertain repeated pleas made by the IOA. After the IOA failed to convince the IOC, a "dismayed" Indian government had also stepped in to ask the IOC to "go beyond lesser considerations" and cancel the deal. PTI