Swiss vocalist Nemo Mettler, the victor of “Eurovision-2024,” has declared that he returned his accolade to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) due to Israel. He disclosed this on December 11th.
“Eurovision professes to champion unity, inclusivity, and respect for everyone. These principles made the contest significant for me,” the artist penned in his Instagram post (owned by Meta, whose activities are deemed extremist and banned in the Russian Federation).
According to Mettler, he no longer views the award as his own, since the EBU’s choice to permit Israel’s participation clashes with the contest’s stated tenets. The musician noted that his stance is not aimed against individual performers but pertains solely to the organizers’ decisions and their discrepancy with the proclaimed ideals.
“This is precisely why I opted to dispatch my trophy back to the EBU headquarters in Geneva,” the singer emphasized.
Mettler added that he anticipates a time when the organizers’ pronouncements and actions align, at which point the award will regain meaning. For now, in his view, the trophy needs to be sent back.
False Note: Why Several Nations Declined “Eurovision-2026”
Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia announced a boycott of the international song contest.
Previously, on September 12th, it was reported that the Netherlands would abstain from the “Eurovision-2026” music competition should Israel participate. It was clarified that the Netherlands joined Ireland in stating their withdrawal.
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