Anger erupted on the part of a Dutch public broadcaster following the dramatic expulsion of the Netherlands‘ Eurovision Song Contest participant from the competition hours before Saturday’s final due to a backstage incident that is currently under police investigation.
The Swedish police were looking into “a complaint raised by a female member of the production crew” regarding Joost Klein, according to the European Broadcasting Union, the organization that organizes Eurovision, and it would not be suitable for him to compete while the legal proceedings were in progress.
After Klein did not show up for two dress rehearsals on Friday in Malmo, Sweden, the organizers announced that they were looking into an “incident.” The incident “did not involve another performer or delegation member,” according to the organizers, despite rumors to the contrary. The incident was linked to Israel’s delegation.
On Saturday, it was unclear if Klein remained in Malmo.
In the 68-year history of Eurovision, a disqualification at the last minute has never happened before, despite the fact that some nations have boycotted the competition and in some cases been kicked out, such as Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Among the several public broadcasters who jointly sponsor and televise the competition is the Dutch station AVROTOS, which expressed its shock at the decision and said it “finds the disqualification disproportionate.”
It released a statement saying, “We deeply regret this and we will come back to this later.”
The lively Euro-techno song “Europapa,” a 26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper’s homage to the continent and a memento to his late parents, made the 26-year-old a favorite among bookies and fans alike.
Israel‘s inclusion in the pop music competition that pits nations against one another has already caused division. Large-scale demonstrations have been held by Palestinians and those who support them, who argue that Israel ought to be disqualified due to the way it has handled the war against Hamas.