Member Article

Olympic sponsor campaigners protest at LOCOG headquarters

Groups behind the Greenwash Gold 2012 campaign are protesting outside LOCOG headquarters this morning.

London Mining Network, UK Tar Sands Network and Bhopal Medical Appeal say they have resorted to the protest as LOCOG have refused to meet with them and discuss the controversies of sponsorship deals with BP, Dow Chemical and Rio Tinto.

Colin Toogood from Bhopal Medical Appeal said: “LOCOG and Lord Coe have been ignoring the Bhopal Medical Appeal’s request for a meeting since last August when the The Dow Chemical Company’s sponsorship of the stadium wrap was announced.

“The truth is that Lord Coe knows that Dow are shielding Union Carbide from criminal charges, relating to the Bhopal disaster, and there is simply no way they can have a public conversation about this matter and maintain a position in support of the Dow Chemical sponsorship deal.”

Meredith Alexander, the ex Olympics ‘ethics tsar’ who resigned over controversies surrounding Olympic sponsorship said: “The London Olympics belongs to all of us; athletes, spectators and Londoners alike.

“That’s why it is so disappointing that Lord Coe is ignoring people’s concerns about unethical Olympic sponsors.

“He does not want to hear about BP’s investment in the most polluting form of oil, the environmental problems that come with Rio Tinto’s medals or the fact that Dow Chemical is the company now responsible for the Bhopal tragedy.

“He has proved time and again that he certainly doesn’t care what the victims of the Olympic sponsors think. I’m left wondering who he is listening to.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .