Eurovision 2024 Winner Nemo Returns Trophy in Protest Over Israel’s Participation in Eurovision 2026
Eurovision 2024 winner Nemo has announced that they are returning their trophy, saying that the contest can’t claim to have values like “unity, inclusion and dignity” while continuing to allow Israel to compete during the Gaza war. The Swiss singer, who made history as Eurovision’s first non-binary champion with their song The Code, announced the decision on Instagram, sharing a video of the trophy being boxed up for the EBU’s headquarters in Geneva. Eurovision officials say they respect Nemo’s stance but regret losing the symbol of their 2024 win. Martin Green, the contest’s director, said they will “always remain a valued part of the Eurovision family.”
Nemo said the tipping point was the gap that they see between the contest’s message and its actions. They pointed to findings from the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry and said that “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 decision made by the EBU.” Although they are grateful for what Eurovision brought them, they said, “today I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf.”
The decision lands in the middle of the biggest dispute the contest has faced. Five countries — Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands — have already pulled out of the 2026 show in Vienna, all in protest over Israel’s inclusion. Nemo argued that when nations start withdrawing, “it should be clear that something is deeply wrong.” They also stressed that their decision to return the trophy due to Israel’s participation isn’t directed at individual performers: “This is not about individuals or artists. The contest was repeatedly used to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing.”
Israel has rejected accusations tied to the war and has welcomed the EBU’s decision to keep the country in the competition. Its president, Isaac Herzog, has called the ruling an “appreciated gesture of solidarity, brotherhood, and co-operation.”
As things stand, 34 countries are still expected to take part next year, though some broadcasters haven’t confirmed whether they will take part or not. Nemo says their message to organisers is straightforward: “Live what you claim. If the values we celebrate on stage aren't lived off stage, then even the most beautiful songs become meaningless.”
