After the Romanian broadcaster TVR was expelled from the EBU, effectively kicking Romania out of Eurovision, collateral victim Ovidiu Anton wants to sue for moral damages and for the effects on his image as an artist.
Ovidiu Anton, who was supposed to perform 12th in the second semi-final after he won Selectia Nationala 2016 with rock anthem “Moment Of Silence”, voiced his shock with the decision upon hearing the news.
Later, in an interview for Radio France International, the rock singer expressed his disappointment with the situation and the regret that he would not get to perform his song in Stockholm.
“I am very disappointed. I don’t think that anyone can imagine what I am going through, nor do I wish it on anybody. I have worked for many years to earn my right to represent Romania at Eurovision and, after winning [Selectia Nationala], I was defeated by… I don’t even know whom. I can say that I can’t explain how you can make such a decision at this level, how do you eliminate a contestant after letting him compete. I don’t know who is to blame, but someone certainly is that someone is not me.
Asked how this will affect his career, Ovidiu said that the damages cannot be quantified:
I think that the damages are immeasurable. One cannot put a price on what this does to an artist. The chance to perform your song for 70 broadcasters cannot be given again, not with the moment that you wanted to create. The damages to my image, as well as the moral damages, are enormous.
The artist said that he considered legal action, although at this point he did not know against whom.
I have to think of the natural, legal steps that I have to make, I will consult with my lawyers and I will follow their advice, because someone is guilty and has to pay.
As for a possible Eurovision participation if Romania ever returns to the European Broadcasting Union, the singer is adamant that he does not want to hear about it.
I will never compete for Eurovision again. I have been treated very unfairly, miserably even, as the representative of a country at Eurovision. I can vow that, regardless of whatever happens in the future, my Eurovision game — because it has proven to be a game, not a fight — stops here.
Nonetheless, there are fans who want to see Ovidiu Anton on the Eurovision stage even sooner. In 24 hours, close to 1,900 people have signed a petition demanding that the EBU allow the Romanian singer to perform at the 2016 contest, even out of competition.
Watch our video coverage of Ovidiu Anton
What do you think? Does Ovidiu Anton have a case? And whom should he direct his legal action against?
READ MORE ROMANIA EUROVISION NEWS HERE
Photo: TVR
SUPPORT FOR OVIDIU ANTON, Romania Breaking News: High board officials from the Reference Group of the EBU have initiated further intern talks showing fairness given back to OVIDIU ANTON, disqulified artis from Romania. Whether Ovidiu will be invited as a guest artist during one of several show acts is probably left to the decision of host broadcaster SVT. With a bit more than a week before the rehearsals kick off in Stockholm, any further decisions that should be made, should happen quickly. All other sanctions and decisions against the Romanian TV channel TVR remain preserved and unaffected. b.r. LEO ESC… Read more »
So for all hatters one thing.Romania doesnt owe any penny for Eurovision .They always paid on time Eurovision fees…The money they owe is for sports events and thats all.So stop having a dig at Romania …Even EBU can clarify this by making a statement which they wont.So yes it was escluded unfair .
The debt was almost all for sport broadcasting rights. Over the past 10 years TVR was billed by EBU 50 mill and paid only 35 mill – therefore a 15 mill debt. These sports rights if they wouldn’t have been sold to TVR, for most of the competitions they are selling pretty sure they would have got worse deals, if they would have got deals at all with other TV companies in Romania. They are losing contracts with such decision so not sure how EBU is a good trader. In trade the main rule is: “Don’t kill your partner!” The… Read more »
@mawnck Its a good perspective, but one thing- he can prove he was harmed by his actions. All the time, money, effort he spent to win a contest- only for his prize to be revoked without him at fault for anything? It’s a bonafide bait and switch- and the fact that a third party made the decision to revoke the reward that TVR promised him is irrelevant. TVR offered participation in the 2016 ESC as a prize, he won the prize fair and square, and through TVR’s own actions (or in this case, inaction), that prize has been reneged. To… Read more »
Some of you are imnoncents. The EBU acted absolutely correctly. If The Romanian Government was ever going to pay it was through the embarrassment of potential expulsion. If they had allowed Romania to complete this year, without first settling the debt, it would open the door for a host of broadcasters to delay payment.
And you Marck Mack are a vivid example of the xenophobia that is taken over Europe, kindly lighted by media BS.
I am surprised your comment was even posted on this blog.
You must have a sad and pitiful ignorant life. Good luck in it.
Man, there are a lot of naive people on this board. Whether or not he has a case has nothing, NOTHING to do with fairness. That’s not how the world works. It has EVERYTHING to do with the contracts Anton signed, and the laws governing Romania and the contest. I’m not a Romanian lawyer, but I strongly suspect his contract was with TVR, which means he’d be suing a bankrupt entity – which is a waste of time and money. Even if he went ahead, he’d have to prove that he’d been harmed by their actions, which in this case… Read more »
What a joke especially when you look at the likes of Macedonia, Montenegro fiddling votes last year and Azerbaijan buying votes from Malta in recent years these four should be suspended from the competition. Mark Mack do not be so ignorant, i am sure where you come from their are good and bad people as in the uk.
@AurelianTamisan Really? Well if you say so. Good luck living in your little world. Xoxo
Mark Mack
Your coment is disrespectul.Romania is not a gipsy country and you should be ashamed for yourself.Learn some history
@Daniel E.: I just read your post. Of course he has a case, especially against TVR for keeping him and all other Selectia Nationala participants in the dark about their finances and the razor’s edge they were riding for years. Whether he would have qualified or not (I had him 12th in the 2nd round on my scorecard, as of my 2nd review of all the contenders) is irrelevant.
@Rock Me: Aye! He may have a case, and so do the others who competed in this year’s Selectia Nationala. If TVR knew, LAST SUMMER, that they were on probation BEFORE preparations for this year’s national contest began, they should have given a warning, to EVERY contender from Ovidiu on down, that Romania might be in danger of being suspended from the EBU and from THIS year’s contest, so that the eventual winner (and even the 2nd- and 3rd-place finishers) could have their Plan B ready in case they were told that their participation at ESC was revoked.
This is what happens when you are a country of gypsies. You refuse to pay your money that you owe and are surprised when you are penalised for it.
Romania deserve to be kicked out. Hopefully they’ll stop being corrupt and realise than in a civilised society you can’t scam people out of money.
Lady Gaga, You’re just a fart in the world. Your reactions and your way to express your opinions are prooving that you’re ust trash, a big 0 in the world. Your arguments are based that he is fat, that he doesn’t have a big career etc. He’s an extraordinary singer, even with a big career or not, I hear every day so many untalented singers being bis stars on radio or tv, Ovidiu is top level compared to them. He earned his right to go to Eurovision and you come and say that he is fat and doesn’t have a… Read more »
Bonsoir Stockholm, I am a bit surprised to read some of the comments on this forum. I would have expected a total support for Ovidiu Anton since he is a candidate and most of us are interested in Eurovision. Let me rephrase : I don’t like Australia participation in the Eurovision, but I would be really desappointed if Australia was bannished. The arguments against are based on two main points : 1. TVR didn’t pay the debt to EBU despite multiple requests from several years. TVR clearly did wrong, no doubt about this. Is it a reason after all this… Read more »
@Lady Gaga He is nowhere near obese. In fact, depending on his height, he might not even be considered overweight.
I agree with EBU that something needed to be done with Romania because TVR can’t just ignore them forever, but they chose an extremely bad time to do it. What is the point of Romania wasting money on their national final only to find out that it was pointless because they can’t compete? I mean why wait this long? The EBU knew that Romania weren’t paying so, why didn’t they do this earlier?
Once Ovidiu was chosen to represent Romania taking him out of the contest only 2 weeks before eurovision starts is just terrible.
I belive that this is the perfect time for the ebu to expell Romania.
For those of you saying it’s unfair it’s really not tvr was given multiple warnings and they chose to ignore them and they are now paying the price of that because they were expelled
And by the way it’s probably a good thing because it means that Romania will keep their 100% qualification rate with they weren’t going to keep this year
EurovisionMC
@AurelianTamisan: your country has 99 problems & one of them is paying debts and another one is fixing your damaged brain. Why not help solve those major ones first before you waste your time spreading your incoherent & illogical thoughts. You will do the world a favor. Xoxo my mentally challenged friend
Before his fat ass sue anyone in court, does he actually have money to sue anyone? Specially as he is a no-name career challenged, melodramatic diva? Think about that for a minute. Suing someone is not free. Good luck to him on getting those coins. He is just creating noise because he needs Eurovision more than Eurovision needs him, to elevate his non-existent career. For his butthurt fans: quit being melodramatic & welcome to the real world
The debt repayment deadline would have been set a long time ago, and the point of a deadline is that you meet it. And actually a deadline shortly before Eurovision is a great time to set a deadline, because you can then throw them out, further enforcing your point about it. The message gets across if you kick them out this late. In fact, TVR do deserve this, as the EBU said, they haven’t been responding to letters and stuff any more either, so the fault really isn’t with the EBU, for wanting their money back., but with TVR. Yes… Read more »
I kinda wonder: Doesn’t Ovidiu have albums to record or tours to do around Romania and Moldova? Doesn’t he have a career to pursue and build on forward? I mean … he is a musician .. wasting time with this Eurovision bs is just putting him in a worse light than the sudden withdrawing itself has caused … one door closes and many other are to be opened. Eurovision is not the Mozart Factory of Music Talent much less the last coke lost in the middle of nowhere. and if he understands his own talent then he needs to move… Read more »
It’s exactly what I wanted to hear from him. Respect Ovidiu Anton! The action should be against EBU, exactly like he said, how can you accept a contestant and then inform him that he can not participate?! And EBU would make a good thing for them to quickly accept him in the contest (even though I’m not sure if he will accept), elswhere Anton is winning at the court.
He did a really good cover of “Highway to Hell”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dObkwScXcU
If EBU waited this long, they could’ve let Romania compete and then exclude them from 2017 & 2018.It would be much more fair than wait so many years and take action this late.
@Daniel E: If you get kicked out of Romania, come to the UK. I’m here for you. 🙂 Hugs from me. xx
And yes, totally agreed about the broadcaster there. Olvidiu should also sue if he legally can. Good luck to him.
It`s unfair. EBU should ban Romania on March or after Eurovision 2016. If singer was selected EBU won`t ban country.
They need to let him perform as an interval act, it’s the only decent thing to do. The EBU need to think about their morals for doing this to him.
To my fellow Romanian compatriots: I, and everyone else, understand your feelings of disappointment and even rage, but I honestly think they are aimed in the wrong direction… And before you kick me out of the country, let me explain: EBU gave ultimatums to TVR many times before and since a long time ago!!! TVR chose to ignore them, probably thinking they were just empty threats (after all, this is the first time in history when something like this happens!), and, by its own free will and at its own risk, organized Selectia Nationala – obviously hiding the truth (or… Read more »
Either TVR told him that they were in debt and this was a possibility, and he chose to take that risk, or they never told him and continued to let him practice and prepare without ever mentioning this. Either way, the fact is the EBU has been warning Romania for YEARS that this might happen. We’ve seen in the news each time that Romania might be expelled, but EBU let them continue. The only difference this time is that the threat wasn’t as empty as TVR assumed. The only culprit here is TVR and Ovidiu has every right to be… Read more »
Ovidiu is getting more attention now that he’s been kicked out. He could not buy this sort of publicity. If Ovidiu gets to perform as the interval act, it is the best possible outcome for him.
Think what was going to happen. Ovi would have been booted out at the Semi Final & forgotten. Now everyone is talking about him.
Obese? That kind of weight is not even considered as obese, much less so close to being one. If you guys are going to comment ad hominem attacks, then at least don’t appear so stupid in here.
I wish Russia hat such a debt so they could be kicked out of the contest. Let Ovidiu in and get rid of Sergay.
Good, I hope he does take legal action. The EBU were extremely inconsiderate and disrespectful towards Ovidiu, and punished him for an action that was beyond his control. I didn’t like his song but to take away his opportunity, especially after he had promoted his song and been to parties, is just plain wrong. Ovidiu did not deserve this kind of treatment at all.
Well its sad for them to be withdrawn from the contest after holding national contest to pick winner to represent them and while they were preparing for it, sad indeed. However, its good for Ovidiu Anton becaus ethat song could stay in semifinal and if passed to final by any chance if it hit the bottom of scoreboard that wouldn’t have been very good image either, but he is probably happy for this and see it as an opportunity to sue them and make money to cover that who knows
Of course someone has to pay… Rumanian tv has to pay their debts Lol (sorry for the bad joke)
At least another deserving artist is going to get a finals slot. And thankfully I get to delete this filth from my iphone. What a Pathetic old man he is
Pathetic obese man. As if his song would even have a chance of winning. He needs Eurovision than Eurovision needs him: a man with barely an existent career. At least Mandinga have somewhat internationally known singles. Cry all you want, my tubby one, but your ship has sailed
The EBU can only survive through charging fees to participating broadcasters. These fees are tapered to fit the financial circumstances of individual countries when it involves a national broadcaster. Over the past 15 years TVR has consistently been in arrears. The situation is not new and while a shocking announcement just two weeks before Stockholm, it simply falls in line with payment scheduling. The fault is TVR’s and TVR’s only. If Anton wants to sue anyone then it is TVR and good luck with that. I am heart sorry for Romanian fans and those posting here who are disappointed for… Read more »
Angelo dude where are you from?
How do you know he has career or not?
And lol your examples though…Douwe Bob? he has no fking career ..it feels like he came from another planet just to represent The Netherlands.
Chances are the deadline was agreed upon long before and RTV took their chances. Not sure what EBU is supposed to do, probably not the first time an amortization agreement between the parts fell apart.
“will TVR Air Eurovision?” Nope. They can’t air ANYTHING from the EBU. “Eurovision” isn’t a contest, it’s a TV network run by the EBU. They have a “Eurovision Song Contest” as well as Eurovision Lots-Of-Other-Things, but it’s a network that runs a contest, not the other way around. TVR owed the NETWORK all that money, and it’s the NETWORK they’ve been kicked off of. And if you’re not on the network, then you aren’t allowed to air (and thus can’t participate in) their song contest. It seems pretty clear that the EBU was hoping that the embarrassment of being kicked… Read more »
@SadRomanian we all have worked on some things for many years and suddenly they are taken away from us but we didn’t start suing the people who took them ! That is just immature and childish IMO especially when it’s about a simple contest ! And let’s not forget that many other artists have been through this and they didn’t start threatening the EBU or the broadcaster for that matter . If he really cares so much about his music he should move on stop having such a huge ego ( I mean he’s speaking as if he won the… Read more »
Recommendation for Semi Final 2: There should be a “moment of silence” observed where Romania’s entry should have been.
Are both to blame ,EBU because they knew it would end up in these terms and still allowed to the artist to compete and Tvr from hidding it from him.So there is definite someone guilty..Sorry for Ovidiu.
The EBU have been horrible to Ovidiu and it isn’t even his fault. He MUST do something about – it is an injustice!
I support him. What they did to him was beyond disgusting. However, Ovidiu has to think and be true to himself if TVR ever said anything about any debt to the EBU. If even the words “debt” and “EBU” were said in a sentence once, unfortunately he doesn’t have a case.
Also, he should sue the EBU for copyrights on using his song at the CD. I don’t care that they made the CDs beforehand. Show them the middle finger and let them lose money as well.
I don’t understand what’s the problem with people here on the Wiwibloggs’ comments, like @Danny, @Leo or @NL. It’s so easy to hide behind a screen and criticise the actions of Ovidiu. If this song is not your cup of tea, shut uo and don’t comment then, why say hurtful thing about another human? You sick me. @Angelo how do you think Sergey Lazarev, Francesca Michielin, Douwe Bob or Nicky Byrne started off? God said “I will create this new artist and it will be famous right away”? Don’t be stupid, people have to start out of somewhere, as small… Read more »
@Adam
I completely agree. If it were Sweden with the money problems the EBU works let them take part. Just because Romania has a bad name doesn’t mean they can’t participate.
“Someone is guilty and has to pay”
YEP, your country, after 8 years.