Eurovision Song Contest 2024 winner Nemo returns trophy in protest against Israel

Nemo, winner of last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, said they would return the trophy in protest at Israel’s continued participation in the competition.

The 26-year-old Swiss singer said there was a “clear conflict” between Israel’s participation in the competition and the ideals of “unity, inclusion and dignity” it represents.

Eurovision director Martin Green said the Eurovision Song Contest was “saddened” by the decision and respected Nimmo’s views.

Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest has been a source of growing tension due to the war in Gaza and a voting controversy during this year’s event.

Five countries – Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands – have announced they will boycott next year’s event because Israel has been allowed to participate.

Israel has previously called the decision to retain its qualification a “victory” against critics who seek to silence Israel and spread hatred.

Nimmo became the first non-binary performer to lift the Eurovision Song Contest trophy with the song “The Code,” which follows their path to realizing they are non-binary.

After Nemo wins spoke to the BBC about the challenges they faced They believe organizers are not doing enough to support participants caught up in the controversy over Israel’s 2024 selection.

“I feel so alone. I really hope they’re ready for next year,” Nimmo said at the time. It has prompted a raft of new measures to protect the mental health of Eurovision artists and staff.

in a Statement posted to Instagram On Thursday, Nimmo said they believed the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to allow Israel to continue participating in the event was no longer consistent with its core values.

“Israel’s continued involvement in what the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has deemed a genocide demonstrates a clear conflict between these ideals and the EBU’s decisions,” they said. Referring to a report released in September.

“As much as I am grateful for the community of this competition and everything this experience has taught me as a person and artist, today I no longer feel like this trophy belongs on my shelf.”

Nemo also posted a video of them putting the trophy into a cardboard box and said the trophy will be returned to the EBU headquarters in Geneva.

Martin Green said in a statement to BBC News: “We are saddened that Nemo wish to return their well-deserved trophy in 2024.

“We respect the deep-rooted views expressed by Nemo and they will always be an important part of the Eurovision family”

The boycotts and protests over Israel’s inclusion are the biggest crisis in Eurovision’s history.

This year’s contest was also marred by voting controversies and accusations that the Israeli government was trying to influence the public vote.

This prompts Some competition rules will be changed and tightenedThe EBU said an “overwhelming majority” of members had since agreed that no further vote on participation was needed and Eurovision 2026 could go ahead as planned.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the decision to allow the country to compete, calling it an “admirable gesture of unity, brotherhood and cooperation.”

Speaking about the boycott, Nimmo insisted their decision to return the trophy had nothing to do with “individuals or artists” but rather what they saw as using Eurovision to “soften the image of a country accused of serious misconduct”.

They added: “When an entire country withdraws, it should be clear that something is seriously wrong.”

“Even the most beautiful songs mean nothing if the values ​​we preach on stage are not reflected off the stage.”

The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took another 251 hostage.

Since then, Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 70,370 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Vienna and is supposed to be an event celebrating the competition’s 70th anniversary.