No plans to skip London opener: IOA

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has denied reports that the apex body planned to boycott the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games. HT reports.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has denied reports that the apex body planned to boycott the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

There were reports on Wednesday that IOA officials would skip the opening ceremony to protest the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) sponsorship deal with Dow Chemicals for the July 27-August 13 mega event. Dow is linked to Union Carbide, which was responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984.

Denying that the IOA had issued a statement, secretary-general, Randhir Singh, said neither the IOA nor the athletes would boycott the event.

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“There is no question of opting out of the Olympics,” he said. The IOA, according to him, had decided not to boycott the Games, and there was no going back on the issue.

“We don’t want to ruin the careers of the players,” he said.

PCI supports protest
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has joined the government in demanding the ouster of Dow as a sponsor of the London Olympics, saying it’s against the spirit of the Olympic movement.

PCI president, Sultan Ahmed, has written to the International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Phil Craven, to register its protest.