On Saturday morning, Joost Klein was disqualified from Eurovision 2024 following an incident with a member of staff at the event. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS have now issued a statement that gives detail on the exact event that occurred.
“An incident occurred after last Thursday’s performance. Against clearly made agreements, Joost was filmed when he had just gotten off stage and had to rush to the greenroom. At that moment, Joost repeatedly indicated that he did not want to be filmed. This wasn’t respected. This led to a threatening movement from Joost towards the camera. Joost did not touch the camera woman. This incident was reported, followed by an investigation by the EBU and police.
“Yesterday and today we consulted extensively with the EBU and proposed several solutions. Nevertheless, the EBU has still decided to disqualify Joost Klein. AVROTROS finds the penalty very heavy and disproportionate. We stand for good manners — let there be no misunderstanding about that — but in our view, an exclusion order is not proportional to this incident.
“We are very disappointed and upset for the millions of fans who were so excited for tonight. What Joost brought to the Netherlands and Europe shouldn’t have ended this way.”
Statement AVROTROS #europapa #eurovision #eurovision2024 pic.twitter.com/XunuOe4jU6
— Songfestival (@songfestival) May 11, 2024
Aftonbladet reports that Joost Klein has admitted the deed in questioning. The case is scheduled to be closed in June. – He said that he was very stressed by all the photographers, and asked them to stop filming. Joost believes that some photographers got way to close. He became angry and raised his arm with a fist and lunged at a photographer, according to the source. However, he didn’t hit the photographer. On the way from the incident, Joost Klein is also said, according to people who were present behind the scene, to have expressed himself very remorsefully and to… Read more »
Fun story, but Aftonbladet is a nasty tabloid. They only have 1 source, and the golden rule in journalism is ‘one source, is no source’. They were also the ones inside the hotel (the one where all the delegations stay) on Friday, following him to the elevator. I wonder if that’s permitted…
We know for sure is that a female employee felt so threatened, she reported the incident to the police. It must have been more than bad “manners”, for which neither Klein or AVROTROS have apologised.
The “threat” is still subjective here, regardless of how Swedish tabloids spin the story. We can’t confirm if this was truly threatening until after the footage has been released. Avrotros had an agreement (made during the rehearsals) with the EBU/SVT to not be filmed. Backstage is a safe space for the participants, and this violation of privacy should now be investigated. The reason they violated his privacy is clear as day: MONEY. Guess what she was filming for? TikTok, a Eurovision sponsor. Joost is the most popular participant this year, so if they didn’t have footage of him, TikTok would’ve… Read more »
Where did you get that from, that they haven’t apologised? AVROTROS had actually said in it’s statement that they proposed to record a public apology by Joost, and a meeting in person with the camera women to apologize, but that both were refused, as were other solutions that they proposed.
So if he comes out to be overall innocent and what AVROTROS says is true (which it most likely is), then 1. They owe Joost and the Netherlands a very public apology 2. If Joost so chooses, he should be allowed to return to Eurovision to perform whenever he feels ready, whether that is as a contestant with a new song in a later year, or performing Europapa as a future interval act 3. Next time Netherlands completes they should get to automatic qualify that year And if they can’t do that to fix their mistakes, …Netherlands should pull out… Read more »
4. EBU should either refund the Netherlands’ 2024 participation fees or fully sponsor the 2025 fees.
5. EBU should spend media budget on Joost’ semi final performance video, to make up for all the views that could have been.
6. Next year, Martin Osterdahl must wear the blue bird suit during his “good to go” ritual.
6.5 OR Martin can just…go. For good.
Martin Österdahl’s resignation is inevitable. And I can totally see The Netherlands’ Sietse Bakker becoming his successor. Bakker’s name has already been floating around as potential future executive supervisor of ESC after a very succesfull edition in Rotterdam in 2021, where he was the executive producer. That would be a fitting part of the compensation for the Netherlands.
Noticed Angelina was wearing different outfit in the final than in the semi. Isn’t that against the rules?
AVROTROS seems irrelevant to the EBU compared to KAN. Wow…
This is just one more regular example of how Eurovision organizers know how to remove an unwanted competitor from the contest…
A dangerous precedent has indeed been set. Not only can the EBU get rid of an unwanted participant, but countries also now have been given a way to eliminate a competitor.
Do you think we will see a lot of countries leaving the contest this year.? Many threatened to do so this year, but in the end nobody did.
I mean “next year” of course
Well, in just the last five years Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Hungary have pulled out of Eurovision. They’ll think twice before returning now that it’s such a sh**show. And of course Russia and Belarus were suspended. Now there is a real chance The Netherlands is going to quit, it’s not a good signal to the rest if a six time winner, that’s been present since the first edition does that. There may be countries that were already having doubts that have now been pushed over the edge by all this. Less participating countries means maybe having to go… Read more »
The Dutch commentator gave some more insight last night on his way to the venue. (1) last week during rehearsals, he was also recorded by this same person when he left the stage. He then also indicated that he did not wished to be recorded. This was also again communicated by the Dutch delegation. (2) Europapa ends with a 20 second ode to his deceased parents. Joost is a very special artist and relives his pain during this bit of the song. When he exits the stage, he is in a very vulnerable state of mind. Therefore the request to… Read more »
(5) Dutch broadcaster Avrotros made several alternative suggestions instead of disqualification, including a public apology by Joost, but the EBU was not open to them. The alleged victim refused to speak to Joost or even anyone from Avrotros.
It is amazing how the EBU was able to piss off everyone from multiple side, well done EBU.
Europapa first Eurovision 2024 entry to enter the Spotify global chart top 50 at spot 38. Sad we will never know how well Joost would have done in the final
EBU /SVT did exactly what the Dutch would have done in that situation. So, it is deserved
No, they wokld have listened to both parties and try to find a satisfying solution for both persons with the least damage to the rule of law. It’s called: ‘polderen’ and is a typjcal Dutch way of handling things.
So no, you’re wrong.
It seems in Sweden you are guilty until proven innocent.
Best part of this show was the cringe acting of Martin O with his self inflicting mess.
Were was his statement of the disqualification? It seems the organization declared one of his oldest and loyal members for death.
Why took the camera a closeup shot of Petra? Even the name ‘NETHERLANDS’ was clearly not allowed to be shown on tv.
It seems they easily criminalize a country before proven guilt or finding a mutual solution.
Thanks for killing a man’s dream and the enthousiasm of a whole country.
He considered himself a VIP or something? Why not be filmed right after his performance? So sick and tired of these Diva attitudes for some artists. EBU made the right decision to expell him!
Shame on you
The real question that should be asked is: why are these artists invaded in their safe space, which back stage should be, for the sake of TikTok content. Artists are under no obligation to show what’s going on behind the performance on stage. This social media thing is taking over our society and goes way way to far.
Time for the Netherlands to withdraw entirely, and for other countries to grow a set of b411s and withdraw from this 5h1tshow also. The EBU disqualify a country from the ESC for being threatening to a camera person, but they cant disqualify a country for their g3n0c1da1 actions that goes against the ESC’s very own motto and reasoning for this platforms existence in the first place. The more countries that withdraw, the less money there is for the EBU and the less power they have. Leave the 5h1t5how for the countries that need to manipulate the format in the hope… Read more »
If this is all that happend in that incident then i find this to be only unfair and a massive overreaction but respectless to the millions of fans, to the country of the netherlands and Joost, who’s career could be ruined over this. But if he said something really offensive i understand why he got disqualified and would completely support the ebu, which by current informations i wouldnt and dont. None the less I would wait for more info to draw conclusions and make up my mind. I would like to point out that with only the points from the… Read more »
As much as I love Eurovision, if I were The Netherlands I wouldnot return to ESC.
I hope they return with Joost and haunt the EBU next year.
Sentiment in The Netherlands right now is we should pull out of Eurovision. At least for 2025, maybe indefinitely. Eurovision is bleeding. Loosing another participating country, a very loyal one too. It’s a shame that it had come to this.
You guys have my full support. Enough is enough!
I would be really sad to lose The Netherlands to preserve Israel, but I completely understand and support that decision.
Exactly why Isreal has to go it’s the only option for the EBU to save the contest.
Look up Keren Peles (from the Israeli delegation) instagram stories. She cheering on Joost’s disqualification, and throws major shade to Marina Sati and Bambie Thug. And Israel ging their 12 jury points to Luxembourg?! They are utterly disgusting this year.
They’re just foul manipulative people who love nothing more than to look like victims whilst bringing things in to disrepute and cause chaos. The EBU are their lapdog, and they use their power as sponsors to manipulate their way through the competition to ensure that they at least get a great result so it “shows the world” that somehow people are uniting with them.
Watching the show, the only thing I thought about was the hard work and enthusiasm of everyone who performed on the stage during those 3 minutes. It is a memory they will carry with them for the rest of his life. It saddens me that Joost couldn’t have performed in this final. However, it seems that Avrotos supports him so I hope that one year he can come back and enjoy the show. I wish luck and success to Joost and I hope that he will soon forget about this nightmare and everything will be resolved.
He will not come back. No Netherlands next year at Eurovision.
The fought so hard against all the stress! Big props to them!
Israel fake audio used to avoid too much booing
Dutch broadcaster says EBU will use recordings from family show if segments become too anti-Israel with booing
Fortunately they couldn’t do that with the Dutch votes announcement by Martin O.
France stops rehearsal and makes a political statement. The person who was going to give points for Norway is taking a step back, as a political statement. The person who was going to give points for Finland takes a step back, probably as a political statement and/or support for Joost. Israel’s delegation has been harassing all week. Spain, Ireland, Greece indicate that they are being harassed by the Israeli delegation. Nothing happens. Ireland files a complaint against KAN, nothing happens. …but a threatening move from Joost is DQ _O- They have made themselves immortally ridiculous. United by Music, divided by… Read more »
France made political statement? What the Guy said was very unspecific. There was nothing political about his speech.
Spain didn’t say anything, It was just one gay from a Eurovision blog Who was provoking…
The truth here is that some people here claimed that the audience was going to riot because Joost DQ and they were going to be singing Europapa all the time and It never happened. Be real, people in the venue have already forgotten about Joost.
Exactly.
United by Music, divided by EBU, well said!
Spanish television is showing the protests outside the Arena rn. This is so sad to see, this was supposed to be a party.
Portuguese tv also showing the dissapointment of the Dutch fans.
10 minutes to the show and the stands are only 60-70% full. Dutch protest?
The boos already started.
Divided by Music, what a mess this year is.
WIWIBLOGGS BREAKING NEWS
25 May
The Swedish prosecutor decides that no further action will be taken against Joost Klein due to a lack of evidence.
Consistent with the journalists defending Joost. They stated that no evidence was presented of an assault. The EBU looks bad right now.
The damage is done. EBU and Israel proud of themselves
Israel has nothing to do with this. It can on contrary mislead the televote since they will perform #5 and you have to vote 06 for Israel. I am even thinking more since obviously EBU doesn’t want Israel to win because the running order tells it all. They have taken the opportunity to disqualify NL. I believe it’s not a coincidence that the country that was supposed to sing just before Israel is now DQ. And EBU choose to keep the running order before DQ for the televote number. It will not be an issue for songs below 10 because… Read more »
If this true, it seem he should be able to participate. Very upsetting.
Well. I’m glad of the outcome and a fact the EBU won’t forget this night for sure. Joostice is best served cold in the arena, so I expect AVROTROS to get millions of cash along with respect from Europeans out of this situation. #banisrael
Bruh, why do you hate Israel so much? What has Israel done to Lithuania?
I don’t hate Lithuania despite the pos Klaudija Šeinbaumas, sorry, Claudia Sheinbaum having origins there
Very likely that is what’s going to happen. They’ve got nothing on him but the statement of Camera Karen herself. But his dream has already been broken and his name is tainted.
Dutch broadcaster says he didn’t even say anything. Just a gesture was made, then a complaint was filed and that was the end of Joost.
Disgusting from the EBU.
Innocent until proven guilty! Not with the EBU!
Loreen is not handing the trophy to Eden in case Israel wins.
QUEEN! <3
United by hate
Against the EBU and the g3nocidal state? Yes
*United against EVIL.
United by love. We know where the hate comes from. From the river to the …
United by ethics.
Hallelulia Sing a song!! Lets spread love and unity.
Karma is a b!tch and you reap what you plant.
I have a solution, ask mangoTV to lend the rights of Mari Kraivery’s performance in Ride the wind and project in 5th place as a Russian guest. If this is gonna be a mess let’s make it an spectacular mess.
Jokes aside, I recommend the performance for anyone who wants something to see on those 3 minutes. It’s lipped but I think is a nice performance to see. The angles, quality, sound and colors are close to eurovision(maybe even better in terms of video quality)
Pd: yes, mangoTV is the network who used to broadcast eurovision in china.
youtu.be/3QI-gKBn5Aw
Breaking news!
The odds from juries is inactive temporarily!
What does that mean?
All those people defending Palestine that were saying that it was because of Israel look very dumb now. And they’re awful little liars too. The guy went against a Swedish camerawoman. I can’t believe they’re spreading misinformation online for the case of Palestine and now they look like hateful liars. They’re not helping any cause actually. They just cause drama and messiness. Wasn’t that difficult to wait for an official statement instead of taking the advantage of this and campaigning against the Israeli delegation? Unbelievable.
What that camerawoman did to Joost is what vile Israeli delegation did to Ireland, Greece and Switzerland. You. Are. Not. Welcome.
There has been evidence about Israeli delegation making the arena unsafe for artists and journalists. That woman was one of them, she did not even work for SVT..
EBU needs to be aware
Show me the proof. If you believe I’m gonna a nobody out of nowhere.
*believe. All the contestants sung now. Joost must feel very dumb to have acted the way he did
Guys, new update!
Turns out it was Karen Peles (the songwriter for Israel) who filled a complaint against Joost Klein. And then some people still say Israel is innocent? If they didn’t participate, nothing of this would have happened. Worst Eurovision of all times. I feel so sorry for Joost as well. Nevertheless, his parents will be proud of him?
I have this lie in a better form for you- one of Eden’s dancers was dressed like Joost and the whole incident wasn’t Joost at all! How’s that?
Thats a really dumb joke proving of such a bad taste,
Nice, victim blaming ?
If this is true and not just trolling its so so bad. Source please?
https://twitter.com/notguff/status/1789339357523931265?s=12&t=9fNgGQHDkTY8ak6pmxOb6A
Nice try but the Dutch commentator explicitly said the incident was not related to the Israeli delegation. So either he’s lying or you are. I’d bet my money on the latter.
Bet your money on whatever you want, the info is all around twitter. Go find it yourself, I personally don’t care about what you personally believe in
So maybe it’s not the same incident but Keren Peles posted a video to provoke Joost on her socials –
Keren Peles, who co-wrote Golan’s song, Hurricane, posted a video on her own social media accounts. The video zooms past a dancer’s shoulder to capture a close up of Klein. At the bottom of the camera frame, the text states, “The Dutch representative does not like us, and asked that we not take his picture. I respected his wish, and took a photo of our lovely dancer.”
Source: https://nltimes.nl/2024/05/10/eurovision-suspends-joost-klein-physical-altercation-photographer-report
A journalists defending Joost claims that no physical evidence was presented of an assault. Not sure if this is verified. But if true, this does not help the EBU’s image.
This is not true
But no!! We need to find a way to blame Israel for this!! It can’t be!
Right-wing UK nut job Tommy Robinson has spoken out in the support of Eden and her song tonight, and has encouraged his followers to vote for her.
If Tommy Robinson is on your side, then you must be a pretty awful individual.
Tommy Robinson was always a vile individual.
You’re cheering for Iran I don’t think you are on a good side either
Yeah extreme right supporting Jews nowadays … how ironic history can become
And gay community supporting islmists is beyond me.
Why can’t some people understand this? It’s called empathy.
It’s not empathy, it’s chickens for KFC
Youre twisting words just the way the sly Isr4elis tend to do. The gays are only against the g3nocidal regimes of the Isr4hellis. And it isn’t just the gays…its anyone with a conscience and an ounce of sense.
Concensus inside and outside of the arena is: we don’t car if our country wins or someone else as long it’s not you know who. Finally united.
The slogan worked after all. 🙂
Well instead of united by music maybe united by anti-zionism.
You know it doesn’t work when Russians are saying the same thing while being criticizes over the support of invasion into Ukraine. I$rahell is no different and I think the “chosen” people brought the bad image of themselves for years to come.
Apparently Loreen refuses to give the trophy to Eden if Israel would win tonight. They’ve made a agreement that she will leave the trophy on a piedestal and then leave the stage before Israel enters.
Let’s hope she doesn’t have to do that. I have faith we will avoid that scenario somehow
I’m waiting for her to make a statement (no pun intended) regarding the situation.
She has always been pro-peace but her silence has been noticeable this week.
Agreement with who?
SVT/EBU producers. (Source: Aftonbladet)
Stop spreading misinformation. Where are the sources?
Maybe Aiko is to be given the stage to sing her PedestaL AGAIN!!
Loreen didn’t deserve to win last year, so this is just the cherry on top of her petty and rigged victory
Not sure what Israel hoped to achieve by participating this year. But seems to me they have achieved exactly the opposite.
They achieved what they intended. Those are the best victim actors in the world. Mark my word that Eden will shed a “tear” after her performance so that in combination with boos she gets pitty votes. Nation built on pitty.
Im not watching this Hunger Games freakshow 2nite!!
Guys, how do you know, Israel’s delegation acts inappropriate to other delegations?
Video evidence all over X of the delegation members antagonising other delegates.
Videos, even wiwi shared one, and other country delegations have come out and said they have been unpleasant interactions with Israeli delegation harassing and bullying and trolling them.
The Israeli reporter asked the same questions as the Swedish female reporter who followed Joost to the elevator.
RTP, the Portuguese broadcaster, issued a statement saying that the Portuguese delegation had witnessed cases of harassment by the Israeli delegation towards other delegations.
As a female im all about empowerment and safe working conditions etc but i do have to wonder if this would have gone so far if it had been a male camera person. I cant help thinking the EBU issued the strongest possible punishment to try and show they are politically correct and all about equality.
The gender of the camera person just given how this sounds seems like it should not even be relevant
Yes, it is relevant, cis head.
We’ll see what that incident soon enough, but my festive mood for esc has been ruined finally me liking a entry of ours this happens
Its just a song contest. Enjoy the good performances tonight.
JUST IN: Käärijä is dropping out as spokesperson in support of Joost.
Good for him. I hope more follow.
Goatrijä doing what’s right.
Israel shouldn’t be here and neither should anyone who displays ANY form of threatening behaviour. Very hypocritical to be upholding him as a martyr of a g**ocidal state considering he continued to perform in and glorify Russia (one of the most dictatorial states on the planet) and in his music post-invasion. Just because he agrees with your political opinion doesn’t make him a good person.
Joost has never glorified Russia. He has a song with the Russian Village Boys, who are also against Putin
So singing, and this is a quote, “I love Russia” and “I love Russian women, I want russian babies” after they just invaded their neighbour and then following that up with a concert in the same city whose residents were out committing war crimes against Ukraine isn’t glorification of said state? Really? He was literally in Russia after they committed mass executions of civilians in Ukraine, but that’s somehow fine because he decided to sing a song with one anti Putin artist BEFORE they left Russia BEFORE they came out against Putin and AFTER the war started? See how that… Read more »
He got grilled about this song and the song has got nothing to do with glorifying Russia and he never made any statements supporting Putin or Russia’s war.
He is pro peace.
Unlike the Arab k1llers.
Not all russians are bad people though
Same as not all the jews are bad people. Let’s not forget that too.
Just one question: are all countries going to perform?
Who cares anymore, eurovision season is already over for me again
Thanks Israël and cowardly EBU
I hope eden wins. Its the end of the ESC.
I’m the same, I just want it to be over. It’s looking more and more likely I won’t even tune in. I might dig out an old contest on YouTube. I’ve also recently got my hands on an RTÉ staff magazine showing behind the scenes at the 1981 contest. Might give that a proper read.
And Trump said he didn’t slept with Stormy Daniels. Can we here the camera woman statement please ?
That’s one version of the story.
Tonight will be the end of Eurovision as we know it.
EBU chose money (sponsor) and a non-European country over the European participants.
They chose money over happiness and safety.
Nobody in that arena is happy, enjoying or feeling safe and this is all thanks to the selfishness of the EBU and Israel.
Really disappointing and quite honestly disgusting behaviour from EBU and the Israeli delegation.
It has nothing to do with Israel. Stop being such a sheep
It has everything to do with that cancerous sh!t state
How about you stop being a sheep and see the unhappiness of many contestants, because they are being intimidated, bullied by Israeli delegation and feeling unsafe.
Visitors in that arena are reporting en masse that the festive atmosphere is completely gone.
Thanks to EBU and Israel.
What is their delegation doing exactly? I’ve read many such comments like yours but nothing really substantial.
Money lovers ruin everything tbh
Safety in tel aviv next year is non-existent so artists better think twice, what is more important, your life or your career
So this is how you deal with your most loyal countries around EBU. The Netherlands did not reach the final for 8 years. But every year the Netherlands was there again. When Eurovision was at its lowest point in terms of popularity, the Netherlands came up with a Pre party to let the artists shine. And since then, Eurovision in concert has become a household name, which has only increased the festival’s popularity. The Netherlands was there to organize a fantastic festival after the biggest crisis Europe has had since the Second World War. And even today, after the avrotros… Read more »
Amen!
You’re so right Escpower!
It’s disgraceful and you have every right to be angry.
EBU will suffer the consequences of this. Don’t worry. This will linger like a bad smell for months after tonight and the only way for them to move forward will be to reform.
Europapavision
<3
AMEN
I don’t know how are laws in Sweden, but in my country a violent verbal reaction against a woman is considered gender violence. Be careful with what you are pretending to minimize.
You need your head checked. Joost was being intimidated and if you care for EQUALITY than he should also be protected from harassment and bullying by this female employee and the entire Israeli delegation.
Israeli delegation is making all non-binairy and contestents who speak out against them UNSAFE. But we don’t hear a word from you about this.
I wonder why. Hypocrite.
You’re making things up. Israel has nothing to do with this incident. This is 100% on him.
If we were debating I think we would have understood better. Maybe my comment was too short to express what I wanted to say. When the police is involved I suposed it is because of something like that, but I’m not accusing.
I’m sad for him, I wish him the best and I expect everything will get resolved. I hope to see him in the next years taking part in the contest.
The staff member violated an agreement with the Netherlands and chose to ignore the warning cues by Joost. I don’t blame her, and Joost should also not be blamed. EBU or the Swedish broadcaster is fully responsible for the actions of their employees.
And it rightfully should be, but there was an agreement to shelter a person with an invisible disability which was also violated, and if the camera woman wasn’t informed about this someone messed up. The penalty is disproportional.
I agree, it was very disproportional.
Clearly the woman was incompetent and can’t do her job. She should be fired
I didn’t expect my comment to be so controversial. I was totally unaware of Joost’s circumstances, which I have now learned from reading comments, and which provide more context to his reaction. I simply wanted to understand and provide an explanation for such a drastic decision by the EBU. It is a very polarized year and we are all very sensitive. I hope everyone enjoys tonight.
Guys, don’t bring Amber Heard into this. She was the clear victim of abuse and Johnny Depp did a smear campaign against her, let’s not forget that. It has been proven that he hit her and SAd her. So dont use her as an example to discredit allegations made by women. Thank you.
There was literally a recording of Amber Heard bullying and mocking Johnny Depp. Abusing him.
There are photos of Johnny Depp with physical wounds caused by Amber Heard.
You are simply lying and supporting abuse of victims.
He abused her. He literally shoved her a bottle down there and there are Recordings of him hitting her, so dont call me a liar.
You are a liar.
Thank you!
But her dog stepped on a bee!
i hope the jury spokespeople excoriate the EBU tonight, at least a couple
Go Nikki!
I have an 8 year old family member whose favourite act is Joost. How do I explain why he’s not there tonight?
Tell this member that he was disqualified and we don’t know the reason yet.
We know the reason.
easy solution, play it for her/him/them instead of Eden’s … if that’s really comfort “your 8 y.o family member”.
It’s funny you should say that, I am exactly going to play the Netherlands anyway. I’m still going to play Israel as well but it is just unbelievably mean to exclude Joost from the final.
Ahhh, sorry Kosey 🙁 I wouldn’t know what to say myself.
I have the same situation; it’s my 7 years old godchild first eurovision and this was her favourite song for weeks. We told her this afternoon he got sick and couldn’t sing