The protest against Israel being allowed to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest continues.
In the latest development, the 2024 winner Switzerland’s Nemo announced that he is returning his winner’s trophy. In a post on social media Nemo said as he held the glass shaped microphone, “today I no longer feel like this trophy belongs on my shelf.” Nemo won the contest with the pop song “The Code”.
He added, “Eurovision says it stands for unity, for inclusion and dignity for all people.” He noted that allowing Israel to participate in the song contest, “given its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza shows those ideals are at odds with organizers’ decisions.”
Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green responded, “we’re saddened that Nemo wishes to return their trophy which they deservedly won in 2024.”
Green added, “we respect the deeply held views Nemohas expressed and they will always remain a valued part of the Eurovision Song Contest family.”
Over the past week, five countries have announced that they are withdrawing from the 2026 Song Contest in Austria – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland.
As they place the trophy in a box to send it back to the contest organizers the European Broadcasting Union, Nemo said, “when entire countries withdraw it should be clear that something is deeply wrong.”
The Eurovision Song Contest is designed to put music above politics; but recent years have seen the contest embattled with political controversy; first Russia was expelled after they invaded Ukraine and now the issues over Israel’s war with Hamas.
feature photo courtesy of the AP