22 Indian Olympians seek justice for Bhopal

CHENNAI: Twenty two former Olympians, who have represented India in the Olympic Games, have endorsed a petition to the International Olympics Committee, urging it to reject the seven million pound sponsorship deal with the Dow Chemical Company, which currently owns the Union Carbide Factory in Bhopal that caused the gas leak tragedy in 1984. Dow Chemical Company has been granted a contract to provide a decorative fabric wrap to encircle London’s Olympic Stadium during the next year’s Games.Addressing a press conference in the city, two prominent hockey players and champions of the 1980 Indian hockey team, V Bhaskaran and Charles Cornelius, expressed their support for the cause. “While Dow Chemicals has refused to pay any compensation to victims and has posed a serious challenge to the judiciary of our country, it is shocking that they have been selected as a sponsor for the Olympics,” said Bhaskaran. “While the major goal of Olympics is to promote a healthy and peaceful world, it is regretful to have a company like Dow Chemicals as its sponsor,” he added. Bhaskaran was of the opinion that the International Olympics Organising Committee isn’t yet aware of the toxic legacy inherited by the company ever since its acquisition of the Union Carbide unit in Bhopal. “The Olympic movement and charter have clauses on ethics and values to be followed by sponsors to be associated with it. Dow Chemicals will therefore not be eligible,” he said. “While Bhopal has produced a couple of Olympians and has the potential to produce a thousand more, an entire generation was left crippled following the accident,” said Charles. “Being sportsmen, we are in support of conducting a successful Olympics event. But Dow Chemicals meanwhile should rectify its mistakes in Bhopal, only after which it should enter Olympics,” added Charles.  Dow Chemicals has been selected as the sustainability sponsor by the Olympics association to partner with it for the next 10 years, which the Bhopal activists ridicule, due to the company’s poor environment track record.  The sponsorship is under attack not only in India but also back in the UK where 14 MPs from the House of Commons have supported an early day motion raised by British MP Keith Vaz on the issue. Activists are planning to rope in more Olympians to spread awareness about the issue among the sporting community and general public. International human rights organisations, including agencies like Amnesty International, have raised concerns over the issue. “Chemical giant Dow’s high profile contract with London’s 2012 Olympic Games is a slap in the face for the survivors of India’s Bhopal poison gas disaster who, 27 years on, still wait for justice,” said a media statement by Amnesty International issued last month.