Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Thursday said in the Rajya Sabha that the government has not asked athletes to boycott the London Olympics over the Dow Chemicals sponsorship. The Minister said in response to a question by N K Singh that the matter has been pursued at a diplomatic level with the host nation. While the UK government has taken the position that the sponsorship by Dow was an arrangement between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Dow Chemicals Company, the world governing body as well as the London Organising Committee have indicated their inability to drop Dow as a sponsor of the upcoming Games. Maken said the matter will be pursued widely through the countries' Missions in other parts of the world, which are members of the IOC. Maken also said that the government will continue to increase awareness amongst other Olympic nations about the justified grievance on this issue and reiterate support to the strong public sensitivities.