Eurovision Winner Returns Trophy in Protest of Israel’s Inclusion Amid Genocide Allegations
The 2024 Eurovision champion is returning their trophy to the contest’s governing body, intensifying the growing campaign to exclude Israel from the 2026 competition due to its ongoing actions in Gaza.
The annual Eurovision Song Contest, lauded for its message of unity and inclusion, is facing unprecedented scrutiny as calls mount to bar Israel from participating in future events. Nemo Mettler, the Swiss artist who won the contest in 2024, announced on Thursday they would be returning their trophy in protest of the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to allow Israel to compete while a UN inquiry concludes a genocide is taking place.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Nemo expressed their gratitude for the Eurovision community but stated, “I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf.” They continued, “Eurovision says it stands for unity, inclusion, and dignity for all, but Israel’s continued participation… shows a clear conflict between those ideals and the decisions made by the EBU.” A video accompanying the statement showed Nemo placing the microphone-shaped trophy into a box, preparing to mail it back to the EBU headquarters in Geneva.
Nemo’s historic win in 2024 marked the first time a nonbinary artist had claimed the top prize. Their decision to return the trophy underscores the deep moral concerns surrounding Israel’s participation, with critics arguing it serves to “soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing.”
These concerns align with the position of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), a leading voice in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Following the EBU’s announcement last week allowing Israel to compete, PACBI condemned the decision, asserting that contest organizers were “helping to enable and whitewash Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.” The organization has called for a widespread boycott of the contest, urging countries, contestants, and presenters to withdraw.
the pressure on the EBU is rapidly escalating.Iceland’s public broadcaster, RÚV, announced on Wednesday it would not participate in the 2026 contest due to Israel’s inclusion. “It is clear from the public debate in this contry and the reaction to the EBU’s decision last week that there will be neither joy nor peace regarding RUV’s participation,” stated Stefan Eiriksson, the broadcaster’s director general.
Iceland joins Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain in boycotting the competition. Furthermore, seventeen Portuguese artists vying to represent the country have signed a statement pledging to boycott eurovision should they be selected, according to reports from European news outlets.
The growing wave of withdrawals highlights the increasing tension between the EBU’s stated values and its decision to allow a nation accused of genocide to participate in a contest designed to promote unity and u
Here’s a breakdown of how the questions are answered:
* Why: Artists and broadcasters are protesting Israel’s inclusion due to accusations of genocide in Gaza and a perceived conflict with Eurovision’s values of unity, inclusion, and dignity.
* Who: nemo Mettler (the 2024 winner) is returning the trophy, and
