Eurovision winner Nemo hands back trophy over Israel’s inclusion in 2026 song contest
Eurovision 2024 winner Nemo will hand their trophy back. (Getty)
Eurovision 2024 winner Nemo will hand their trophy back. (Getty)
Eurovision Song Contest winner Nemo is to give back the Grand Prix trophy to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in protest against Israel’s inclusion in the 2026 contest.
In a statement posted on their social media pages, the historic musician – who became the first non-binary performer to win the contest in 2024 – said that they “no longer feel this trophy belongs on [their] shelf”.
“Last year I won Eurovision and with it I was awarded the trophy. And even though I’m immensely grateful for the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me both as a person and artist, today no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf,” they wrote.
“Eurovision says it stands for unity, inclusion, and dignity for all. Those values made this contest meaningful to me.
“But Israel’s continued participation, during what the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry has concluded to be a genocide, shows a clear conflict between those ideals and the decisions made by the EBU,” they added.
They continued by claiming that Eurovision has been used to “soften the image” of Israel despite repeated assurances by the contest’s organisers that it is a “non-political” music event.
“And when entire countries withdraw over this contradiction, it should be clear that something is deeply wrong. That’s why I’ve decided that I’m sending my trophy back to the EBU headquarters in Geneva,” Nemo added.
Earlier this week Iceland became the fifth country to pull out of Eurovision 2026 – which is set to be hosted in Vienna in May – after the EBU confirmed Israel would be allowed to remain in the contest despite the country’s military action in Gaza.
Broadcasters for Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia have also all stated that they will boycott the 2026 event.
Meanwhile, Eurovision content creators and non-affiliated event organisers have begun declaring that they too will boycott next year’s contest.
Rounding off their message, the “Unexplainable” singer told their fans to “live what you claim”.
“If the values we celebrate onstage aren’t lived offstage, then even the most beautiful songs lose their meaning. I’m waiting for the moment those words and actions align. Until then, this trophy is yours.”
Nemo won the contest for Switzerland in 2024 with their song “The Code”, during one of the contest’s most contentious years. Protests took place as a result of the EBU’s decision to allow Israel to compete that year, and after winning, Nemo called for the country to be barred from the contest indefinitely.
This year, Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael topped the televote and ultimately came second, behind Austria’s JJ. The success led to allegations that Raphael was unfairly boosted by the Israeli government.
On 4 December, EBU members voted to bring in new rules preventing governments and third parties from disproportionate campaigns to promote their country’s acts, but did not vote on Israel’s inclusion in the competition.
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