Olympic Committee Rejects Complaint by Iran Over London 2012 Logo

The logo for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London was unveiled in 2007. Iran filed a complaint about the logo, saying that it resembles the word "Zion" and is racist. Today, the International Olympic Committee has shot down Iran's complaint.

In a statement on Tuesday, the IOC said:

"The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else."

The secretary general of Iran's national Olympic committee said in response to the IOC:

"Certainly other countries, including Islamic nations, will react to this racist logo and this would jeopardise the goals of the Olympic games in the world."

Iran has warned that they may withdraw from the Games, and that other Middle Eastern countries might pull out as well.

The London logo includes the number 2012 in jagged figures. Iran argues that the numbers look like the word Zion, which is a term that refers to the city of Jerusalem. Iran does not recognize Israel, and considers them an enemy.

Other complaints were previously filed about the logo, which was designed by Wolf Olins. It's also been compared to a swastika, some have seen sexual imagery, and the animated version induced seizures.