MALMO, Sweden — A Dutch public broadcaster reacted angrily to the dramatic ejection of a Dutch contestant from the Eurovision Song Contest over a backstage incident that is now being investigated by police.
The European Broadcasting Union, the organizer of Eurovision, said Swedish police were investigating “a complaint made by a female member of the production team against Jost Klein” and that he was unfit to participate while legal proceedings were ongoing.
Klein failed to perform at two rehearsals in the Swedish city of Malmö on Friday, with organizers saying they were investigating an “incident”. Despite rumors that the incident was related to the Israeli delegation, organizers said the incident “did not involve any other performers or delegation members.”
It was unclear whether Klein was still in Malmö on Saturday.
Such last-minute disqualifications are unprecedented in the 68-year history of the Eurovision Song Contest, although some countries have boycotted the event and been expelled in some cases – including Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022 Got kicked off the field.
Dutch broadcaster AVROTOS, one of dozens of public broadcasters co-financing and broadcasting the match, said it “believes the disqualification is disproportionate and is shocked by the decision”.
“We deeply regret this and will discuss the matter again at a later date,” the company said in a statement.
The 26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper became a favorite with bookmakers and fans alike with “Europapa,” an upbeat European techno anthem that doubles as a tribute to Klein’s late parents. when he was a child.
The race for pop music glory has divided countries over Israel’s inclusion. It triggered massive protests by Palestinians and their supporters, who said Israel should be excluded because it was waging war against Hamas.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.