THE WINNER OF the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest has handed back their trophy because of Israel’s continued participation.

Nemo won the 2024 edition on behalf of Switzerland but today said that they “no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf”.

Yesterday, Iceland became the fifth country to withdraw from next year’s Eurovision after a decision to allow Israel to compete.

Almost immediately after it was confirmed that Israel would take part in the Eurovision, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia announced that they would be withdrawing from the contest.

In a statement today on social media, Nemo said that “even though I’m immensely grateful for the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me, today I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf”.

“Eurovision says it stands for unity, inclusion, and dignity for all,” said Nemo.

“Those values made this contest meaningful to me. But Israel’s continued participation, during what the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry has concluded to be a genocide, shows a clear conflict between those ideals and the decisions made by the EBU.”

Nemo added that the Eurovision was “was repeatedly used to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing, all while the EBU insisted Eurovision is ‘non-political’”.

“When entire countries withdraw over this contradiction, it should be clear that something is deeply wrong.

“That’s why l’ve decided that I’m sending my trophy back to the EBU headquarters in Geneva.”

Nemo added that they have a “clear message”: “If the values we celebrate onstage aren’t lived offstage, then even the most beautiful songs lose their meaning.

“I’m waiting for the moment those words and actions align. Until then, this trophy is yours.”

Nemo added that their decision “comes from care for the values Eurovision promises, not from rejection of the people who make it special”.

Rule changes

Last month, the voting rules for the Eurovision were “majorly overhauled” after controversy regarding the public vote for Israel at this year’s Song Contest.

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Among the changes was a limit to the number of times people can vote and the discouragement of “disproportionate promotion campaigns” by “governments or governmental agencies”.

The changes came after an Israeli government agency paid for adverts targeting this year’s Eurovision public vote.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the annual competition, had expressed hope that these changes would be enough to persuade national broadcasters to participate in next year’s event in Austria.

EBU members met last week for a potential vote on Israel’s participation in the Song Contest.

However, the EBU said a “large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a vote on participation” given the rule changes and that the Eurovision “should proceed as planned with the additional safeguards in place”.