1994 Eurovision Winners Latest To Return Trophy To Protest Israel鈥檚 Participation
Image: Charlie Mcgettigan/Facebook
1994 Eurovision Song Contest winners, Ireland’s Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan, will become the second contestants to return a winner’s trophy because of Israel鈥檚 continued inclusion in the contest.
McGettigan, who won the song contest along with Harrington with the song Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids in 1994, said in a video statement that he wants to return his trophy in protest of Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026.
McGettigan becomes the second Eurovision winner to hand back the trophy, with 2024 winner Nemo, announcing they would return their’s last week.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), who are the official organiser鈥檚 for the song contest, said earlier this month, that they will not expel Israel from next year鈥檚 competition despite heavy encouragement that they should.
However, McGettigan added that he currently can鈥檛 find his trophy from 1994 but if he does, he will return it.
Second artist to return trophy as a protest along with line of countries
McGettingan explained that he received a message from Nemo on Instagram, and said that Nemo came across as 鈥渧ery sincere and intelligent鈥�, and that they stated their case well鈥攁nd that McGettigan would like to support this message.
Last week, Nemo made a statement on Instagram explaining the reasons behind their decision to return their trophy, and that despite being grateful for the experience Eurovision has given them, they felt as though the trophy 鈥渘o longer belonged on [their] shelf.鈥�
鈥淓urovision says it stands for unity, inclusion, and dignity for all. Those values made this contest meaningful to me,鈥� the statement read.
鈥淏ut Israel鈥檚 continued participation, during what the UN鈥檚 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.鈥�
鈥淚f the values we celebrate onstage aren鈥檛 lived offstage, then even the most beautiful songs lose their meaning,鈥� they concluded. 鈥淚鈥檓 waiting for the moment those words and actions align. Until then, this trophy is yours.”
Ireland has already announced their official withdrawal from Eurovision last week, along with Iceland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands.聽
Several other countries have also threatened to boycott the 2026 song contest, and currently only 35 are set to participate in next year鈥檚 Eurovision.
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