The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced the disqualification of the Netherlands during the final night of the Eurovision Song Contest. Clarity has been provided regarding the allegations surrounding Joost Klein, the disqualified Dutch representative. The statement details the reasons behind the disqualification. Here are the details...
Ahead of the highly anticipated final night of the competition, which previously took place in Malmö in 1992 and 2013, a disqualification announcement was made by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
In a statement by the EBU, it was announced that 'Dutch artist Joost Klein will not compete in this year's Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. The Swedish police investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production team following an incident after Thursday night's Semi-Final performance. It would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest while legal proceedings are ongoing.'
The reason for Joost Klein's disqualification was cited as his behavior towards a team member being contrary to the competition rules.
Here is the statement from the EBU regarding the reason for the disqualification: 'Contrary to some reports in the media and speculation on social media, we would like to clarify that this incident did not involve another artist or member of the delegation. We continue to maintain a zero tolerance policy towards inappropriate behavior at our events and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff involved in the Contest. In light of this, it has been determined that Joost Klein's behavior towards a team member was in breach of the Contest rules. The Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will now proceed with 25 songs.' So, what happened backstage? 👇
Joost Klein's song 'Europapa,' dedicated to his father who passed away when he was 12 years old, was among the favorites. The 26-year-old singer, during a press conference after the semi-final, intervened when a journalist asked Israeli representative Eden Golan, 'Do you think the presence of the Israeli contestant is a danger for other contestants and the audience?' and responded with 'Why not.'
While the competition was ongoing, there were allegations that Klein started a fight before the rehearsal. Among the allegations were reports of physical violence, prompting the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to issue a statement regarding the matter: 'We are currently investigating an incident involving the Dutch artist that has been reported to us. He will not be rehearsing until our next announcement.' Additionally, according to BBC News, during rehearsals, Klein's song 'Europapa' was skipped in the announcement, and the next contestant, Israeli representative Eden Golan, continued. This led to some confusion in the arena.