Nemo Returns Eurovision Trophy in Protest Against EBU’s Handling of Israel’s Participation

Nemo, Switzerland’s Eurovision 2024 winner, has taken an unprecedented step: returning their Eurovision trophy to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The artist announced the decision on Instagram, explaining that the award “no longer belongs on my shelf” given the current state of the contest.

In the post, Nemo writes that Eurovision once embodied values they deeply believed in — unity, inclusion and dignity. “These values gave this festival meaning for me,” they said, adding that the trophy felt out of place now that those principles are, in their view, no longer upheld.

A protest rooted in Gaza and the EBU’s stance

Nemo’s frustration centres on the EBU’s decision to allow Israel to remain in the competition despite a UN commission determining that acts of genocide have taken place in Gaza.
“This isn’t about individual artists,” Nemo emphasised. “The festival has repeatedly been used to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing, while the EBU insists that Eurovision is ‘non-political’.”

With multiple countries now withdrawing from the 2026 edition over that contradiction, Nemo argues the problem can no longer be waved away. “If nations pull out for this reason, it should be obvious that something is fundamentally wrong.”

“If values aren’t lived offstage, even the best songs lose meaning”

Returning the trophy, Nemo said they would wait for the day when Eurovision’s messaging and its actions match.
“Until then, this trophy belongs to you,” they wrote.

The artist, who won the contest in Malmö with The Code, had previously voiced discomfort with Israel’s participation, but this marks their most forceful and symbolic gesture yet — one that adds to the growing pressure on the EBU as it attempts to move ahead with Eurovision 2026 amid widespread controversy.

Source: Instagram