Iran Write to IOC Claiming London 2012 Logo is Racist

The Iran National Olympic Committee has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a threat to boycott the London 2012 Olympics after claiming the Games’ logo is “racist”.

The nation’s Olympic Committee secretary general Bahram Afsharzadeh, sent the letter to the IOC claiming that the emblem resembles the word ‘Zion’ – a biblical term for Jerusalem.

The letter also urged other Muslim states to oppose the “racist logo”, but a statement from the IOC said: “The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else.”

Afsharzadeh, in his letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge, stated: “There is no doubt that negligence of the issue from your side may affect the presence of some countries in the games, especially Iran which abides by commitment to the values and principles.”

A statement from the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) said: “(The logo) was launched in 2007 following testing and consultation. We are surprised that this complaint has been made now.”