Iran threatens 2012 Boycott

London 2012 organisers are facing the threat of a boycott from Iran after the country's Olympic leaders complained that the logo for the Games spells out the word 'Zion' and is racist.



Iran's national Olympic committee has written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making an official complaint about the logo and threatening that its committee and other countries may not take part in the Games.



Organisers, however, have been stunned by the claims and insist there is nothing in them.



A London 2012 spokeswoman says the London 2012 logo represents the year 2012, nothing else.



The spokeswoman further says the logo was launched in 2007 following testing and consultation and the organisers are surprised that this complaint has been made now.



Zion is a term often used to refer to Jerusalem and Israel, of which Iran is a sworn enemy.



The IOC has confirmed receiving the letter from the Iranian national Olympic committee but has backed London's position on the logo, saying in a statement that the London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else.