Dow Chemical persistent in backing London 2012 Olympic Games
George Hamilton, who is the Vice President of the Dow Chemical company and the person in charge of the Olympic Operations, has recently said that the organisation does not plan to back out from providing its services for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games entered into a partnership with Dow for the purpose of being provided with a gigantic fabric wrap that is going to be hung around the Olympic Stadium from the start of the Games on July 27 until August
12.
However, since the time that the partnership was forged between LOCOG as well as the Dow Chemical company, there has been widespread criticism about the alliance. This is because of the fact that Dow is in possession of a factory in India by the name of
Union Carbide which was responsible for one of the biggest industrial disasters back in 1984.
Union Carbide Corporation which was situated in the Indian city of Bhopal had a gas leak in one of its factories that caused the deaths of hundreds of local residents on the spot. Not only that, the people of the region continued to be affected from the
effects of the gas leak and the death toll raised to thousands during the coming days and months. The toxic nature of the gas induced birth defects in many children that were born the local residents who were exposed to the leak.
In compensation, the Indian government and the local residents were paid a sum of money but the amount was deemed to be minimal by the receiving parties in comparison with the disaster occurred. Since then, Dow Chemical has been asked to pay the full amount.
Hamilton commented on the matter in the following manner, “It would be great to be controversy-free, but as I talk to other sponsors and other parts of the Olympic organization you realize that over the years the Olympics has been a free platform for organizations
and individuals to make their points. It's a free country and people are allowed to state their case and then take actions. They are allowed to do that.”
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