The Dutch representative Joost Klein has been disqualified this Saturday from the Eurovision final, being until then one of the favorites for the betting houses. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) explained in a statement that “the Swedish police are investigating a complaint from a member of the production team, due to an incident that occurred after the singer’s performance in the semi-final on Thursday.” The police, according to the Reuters agency, have explained that this is an accusation of threats against a festival worker.
“While the legal process continues, it would not be appropriate for it to continue in the contest. “We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other artists or members of the delegation,” the statement said.
“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward inappropriate behavior at our event and are committed to providing a safe work environment for all pageant staff. In view of this, Joost Klein’s behavior [de 26 años] towards a female member of the team is considered a violation of the rules of the contest,” continues the statement, which does not specify whether it is a sexual assault or a physical assault.
The final of the 68th song festival will therefore continue with 25 participating songs instead of the planned 26, the organization responsible for the event has stated. Spain, which was in position number eight, jumps to seven due to the disqualification of the Netherlands. The voting code for those who vote outside Spain remains at number 8, as explained by RTVE. Voting for viewers from countries around the world (non-participants in Eurovision 2024) is now open, while participating countries will be able to use televoting tonight, just before the start of the first of the final performances. For this reason, the EBU has explained in a statement that the popular votes received so far for the Netherlands delegation will not be counted.
The public radio and television corporation of the Netherlands, AVROTROS, defines the disqualification through its social networks of her representative as “disproportionate” and declares herself “shocked” by the EBU’s decision. “We deeply regret the situation and will return to the matter later,” the public broadcaster explained in a brief statement.
Since the artist was removed from the final Eurovision rehearsals on Friday, speculation pointed to a possible confrontation between Klein and personnel related to Israel’s controversial participation in the music contest, an assumption that has now been denied by the EBU. The main controversy so far in this edition of the festival has focused on the performance of twenty-year-old Eden Golan, classified last Thursday in the second semi-final thanks to televoting with the topic Hurricane. For months, and even more intensely in recent weeks, Malmö has hosted several demonstrations to protest the inclusion of Israel in the contest after its role in the Gaza war.
The reason why the rumors intensified about a conflict between the representative of the Netherlands and the Israeli delegation was the tense situation that Klein and Golan experienced at the press conference after the second semifinal this Thursday, in which They achieved their classification. It happened when a Polish journalist asked the Israeli artist about her responsibility in the highest level of terrorist alert that Malmö was experiencing: “By being here, you are a security risk and a danger to everyone! Do not care?”. Faced with this question, the moderator of the press conference told Golan that, if he did not want to, he did not have to respond. “Why not?” Klein then intervened out loud, an episode that quickly went viral on the networks.
First protests
After learning of the expulsion of the representative of the Netherlands, the delegations of Switzerland, Ireland and Greece have not attended the flag parade prior to the general rehearsal of the gala on Saturday night. Shortly after, Bambie Thug, the Irish candidate has not appeared on stage. The artist, an activist in favor of Palestine, explained through her Instagram account that before the banner parade she spoke with the Eurovision organization about, in her words, “the type of actions that should be carried out”, after Klein’s departure and the presence of Israel in the competition. For this reason, she assures Thug: “I missed the dress rehearsal. I feel sorry for the fans who had come to see me. See you tonight”.
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