The winner of Eurovision 2024, Swiss singer Nemo, has announced that he is returning his award in protest against Israel's continued participation. The 26-year-old artist said that Israel's presence in the contest contradicts Eurovision's proclaimed values of "unity, inclusion, and dignity."
The decision by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to keep Israel in the contest has caused serious tensions amid the war in Gaza and this year's voting scandal. Five countries – Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands – have already announced their boycott of the 2026 contest.
Nemo said in a statement on Instagram: "This award no longer belongs on my shelf," the artist wrote, along with a video of himself packing the award to send to the EBU's office in Geneva.
Eurovision director Martin Green expressed regret over Nemo's decision, stressing that the singer "will always remain a valued member of the Eurovision family."
Nemo stressed that his move was not directed at individual artists, but at the fact that "the contest is being used to soften the image of a country that is facing serious accusations."
The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held in Vienna, as part of the contest's 70th anniversary.
