Eurovision 2024 delivers verdict on Netherlands contestant Joost after ‘incident’
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The Netherlands has been excluded from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest due to an unspecified "occurrence" involving their representative, Joost Klein.
The announcement was made a few hours prior to the highly anticipated final event of the yearly occasion, set to occur in Sweden this coming Saturday (11 May).
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has stated that Joost Klein, a singer from the Netherlands, cannot participate in the final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest. The organizing body made this announcement.
Klein was eliminated due to an investigation by Swedish police after a female crew member reported his inappropriate behavior, which happened after the semi-finals on Thursday.
The EBU mentioned that it would not be suitable for the contestant to continue in the contest while the legal proceedings are being carried out.
We want to clarify that this event did not involve any other artist or group member, despite rumors circulating on social media and in the press.
At our event, we have a strict policy that does not tolerate any actions deemed inappropriate. Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of all staff working at the Contest.
Therefore, Joost Klein's actions towards a colleague are considered a violation of the rules of the competition."
The people in charge announced that the big finale "will carry on with 25 songs competing” instead of 26.
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this year's competition due to the inclusion of Israel, which has led to calls for a boycott.
In anticipation of the second semi-final on May 9th, a large number of individuals who support Palestine rallied in the city of Malmö, situated in Sweden, the hosting location of this year's event. Their demonstration was aimed at the country of Israel's involvement and participation in the Eurovision contest.
Olly Alexander, who is from the UK, received an open letter as the debate grew more heated. Numerous people encouraged him to back out of his performance in protest of the war in Gaza that the country is currently involved in.
The popular musician expressed feeling upset and troubled about the controversy. Despite the open letter signed by Queers for Palestine, a group consisting of over 450 queer artists, individuals and organizations, the singer responded that he would still be performing as planned.
In response to a question from The Times about whether the dispute had affected his participation in Eurovision, Alexander became emotional and stated: "There are many things that I would have preferred to be different. This issue is much more significant than just me and Eurovision, it truly is."
