The organisers of the Eurovision music contest have defended their resolution to disqualify the Netherlands’ contestant simply hours earlier than final Saturday’s grand last, saying the model of occasion portrayed by the Dutch aspect “doesn’t correspond with statements shared […] by workers and witnesses”.
Dutch singer and rapper Joost Klein, 26, was kicked out of the competitors within the Swedish metropolis of Malmö over an “incident” after Thursday’s semi-final involving a feminine member of the manufacturing crew, the exact nature of which has been the topic of an ill-tempered disagreement between the music occasion’s organisers and Dutch broadcaster Avrotros.
After Klein’s expulsion was confirmed on Saturday afternoon, Avrotros stated it was “shocked” by the “disproportionate” resolution, insisting Klein merely made a “threatening transfer” in the direction of a feminine digicam operator however had not touched her.
“Towards the clearly made settlement, Joost was filmed when he had simply gotten off stage and needed to rush to the inexperienced room. At that second, Joost repeatedly indicated that he didn’t need to be filmed. This wasn’t revered,” Avrotros stated.
However in an announcement on Tuesday, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) stated Avrotros’s model of occasions, which has been extensively shared on social media, didn’t correspond with the witness accounts shared with the organisers and Swedish police.
“Joost’s behaviour was in clear breach of contest guidelines, that are designed to make sure there’s a protected working setting for all workers and to guard the manufacturing”, EBU’s assertion stated.
“We’re not pre-judging the authorized course of however, given the circumstances of what occurred and the truth that the police case will shortly be handed to the prosecutor, it could not have been applicable for Joost to take part within the grand last.”
It added that the choice to exclude him was backed by the competition’s governing physique and unanimously supported by the EBU govt board, “following a radical inside investigation”.
Citing a supply “with superb insights”, Swedish Aftonbladet reported on Monday that the incident occurred in reference to Klein leaving the stage after his efficiency within the semi-final, and that the girl’s digicam had been broken through the altercation.
Previous to his disqualification, Klein’s gabber-pop music Europapa was seen as one of many favourites within the contest, which was ultimately gained by Swiss singer Nemo.
It was the primary time in Eurovision’s 68-year historical past {that a} contestant has been disqualified after the beginning of the five-day occasion.
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