Dutch artist Joost Klein has officially been disqualified from performing at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Malmö, Sweden, following a “backstage incident”.
A complaint was made to the Swedish police after Klein allegedly threatened a female member of the production crew, reports the NOS.
This is the first occasion in which a contestant has been disqualified from performing after the start of the five-day event.
Absent for rehearsals and jury show
Joost Klein was suddenly absent during the Friday rehearsal for the grand finale, and he was not allowed to participate in the jury show on Friday evening when the professional jury awards points to the artists.
Swedish police confirmed on Saturday that they had opened an investigation into the Dutch contestant and that the case was being passed on to the Swedish prosecution, reports the BBC.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has since confirmed that Klein will not be allowed to return to perform at the grand finale.
Many have come to his defence, including Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, arguing that his disqualification is disproportionate.
We have taken note of the disqualification by the EBU. @AVROTROS finds the disqualification disproportionate and is shocked by the decision. We deeply regret this and will come back to this later. #eurovision2024 #europapa #joostklein pic.twitter.com/0BF5M4KBZe
— Songfestival (@songfestival) May 11, 2024
A favourite entry
Joost Klein was a favourite to win Eurovision 2024 with his pro-Europe techno song “Europapa”.
The 26-year-old had dedicated the song to his father, who he lost to cancer when he was 12. Klein promised his father he would one day make it to the Eurovision stage.
Today’s grand final will go forward with 25 entries instead of 26.
Will you be watching the Eurovision Song Contest finale tonight? Tell us in the comments!
Russian lover and women threatener?
No, thank you!
No, I will not watch it anymore. Rest is all crap. Unclear what he has done or said, mysterious and not transparent at all, and thus irrelevant now. I do hope his career is not at stake from here onwards. And I hope the Netherlands will stick behind him.
I am an avid eurovision fan but I am not watching as I was totally disgusted with this case and the decision of the swedish broadcast. Unfair biased and indeed disproportionate. Bope this finals will be a complete disaster!
😥😢
*Malmö