Russia: Slavia Simonova would represent the country at Eurovision 2022!

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Now we can reveal it, after yesterday’s interview of Artur Gasparyan a well-known journalist in Russia, that 18-year-old Slavia Simonova would represent the country at Eurovision 2022!

As early as February 13, we had informed you with our Tweet that Russia this year would probably be represented by an artist who was not among the artists who had been heard in the previous period.

Russia 1 was chosen by 18-year-old Slavia Simonova, the winner of a talent show on the channel, a singer mainly of jazz music and with a vision problem.

Dream Team was opposed to this choice, which as it is known proposed Klava Koka, but also another male artist that unfortunately we can not reveal. The decision for Slavia Simonova was made several days before the Russian invasion and the reason for the delay in its announcement was that until the end there were negotiations with the Dream Team in order for Russia 1 to work with them this year as well. However, the fact that the Dream Team considered that the selection of Slavia would not bring the desired result, insisting until the end on its other two proposals, led the team to the decision not to cooperate with Russia this year.

It is worth noting that the song with which Yaroslava Simonova would represent Russia at Eurovision 2022, was her own composition and was ready. In fact, very soon we would have had the official announcements.

We remind you that Russia will not participate in Eurovision 2022 after a relevant decision of the EBU, due to the invasion of Ukraine. We are now waiting with interest for Russia’s reaction to this decision.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

EBU bans Russia from Eurovision 2022!

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Officialy today EBU has decided to exclude Russia from Eurovision 2022 in Turin.

After the latest news been spread all over Europe and the world, among with the intention of many countries to withdraw from the contest, EBU has changed their initial desicion and announced that Russia is not able to compete in this year’s Eurovision.

The statement that has been published by the official page of Eurovision Song Contest and shared also in their social media reported:

“The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced that no Russian act will participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The Executive Board of the EBU made the decision following a recommendation earlier today by the Eurovision Song Contest’s governing body, the Reference Group, based on the rules of the event and the values of the EBU.

The Reference Group recommendation was also supported by the EBU’s Television Committee.

The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute.

Before making this decision the EBU took time to consult widely among its membership.

The EBU is an apolitical member organization of broadcasters committed to upholding the values of public service.

We remain dedicated to protecting the values of a cultural competition which promotes international exchange and understanding, brings audiences together, celebrates diversity through music and unites Europe on one stage.”

You can find the statement in the official page of Eurovision Song Contest.

Stay tuned in EurovisionFun for all the latest news!

 

Finland: Broadcaster Yle states they won’t participate if EBU allows Russia’s participation in Turin!

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The developments regarding Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022 and the rest of the countries’ reactions are truly rapid. Following the statements of the public broadcasters of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, the broadcaster of Finland (Yle) also asks the EBU not to allow the participation of Russia, while going one step further, stating that in case Russia’s participation is eventually allowed, then they are not going to send their own representative to Turin!

Russia’s attack on Ukraine runs counter to all the values ​​represented by Yle and other European broadcasters. Yle has always defended western democracy, the rule of law, freedom of expression and human dignity. Yle can not take part in an event where Russia, which has blatantly attacked these values, can use one of Europe’s best-known brands to promote its own interests. We hope the EBU will act in accordance with its values.

Yle

Finland is due to select its representative for Eurovision 2022 tomorrow, Saturday, February 26th.

For the countries that have already spoken up against Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022, you can refer to our previous article.

We remind you that the EBU, at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, stated the following:

The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political – cultural event that unites countries and celebrates differences through music. EBU members in both Russia and Ukraine have pledged to attend this year’s event in Turin and we intend to welcome them and let artists from both countries participate in May. Of course, we continue to monitor developments closely.

EBU

What will the EBUs reaction be after the pressure it’s receiving from several of its members? What will the final decision on Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022 be?

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

Eurovision 2022: After Sweden, four more countries take a stance against Russia’s participation in Turin!

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The EBU‘s response about Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022 did not satisfy Norway, Denmark, Lithuania and the Netherlands which, after Sweden, ask the EBU to reconsider its decision and not allow Russia to participate in the competition.

Following the request of the Ukrainian public television for expulsion of the corresponding Russian from the EBU, the latter in a statement underlined the apolitical nature of the competition and that it has no authority to punish its members (public radio and television), for acts committed by governments of their countries.

The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political – cultural event that unites countries and celebrates differences through music. EBU members in both Russia and Ukraine have pledged to attend this year’s event in Turin and we intend to welcome them and let artists from both countries participate in May. Of course, we continue to monitor developments closely.

EBU

However, this response did not satisfy Sweden, which, through SVT CEO Hanna Stjärne, asked the EBU to reconsider its decision on Russia. Today, four more broadcasters have been added to the list, those of Lithuania, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands.

Lithuania‘s general director of public television, Monika Garbaciauskaite, said in a statement today that she would soon raise the issue of Russia’s participation with the EBU. Norwegian public broadcaster has also just released a statement taking a clear stance. In a similar climate, the Danish public television informed the EBU that it is opposed to Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022 and so did the dutch one AVROTROS a few minutes ago.

However, we have also had statements from the television of Finland, which, although they state that it is the responsibility of the EBU to make any decision regarding Russia’s participation, emphasize that they are closely monitoring the issue and will take a position on it soon.

Eurovision 2022 artists have also started taking a stance against Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022, as this year’s representatives of Latvia, Citi Zēni, have also personally asked the EBU not to allow the country that started a war in Europe to take part in the competition.

https://twitter.com/citi_zeni/status/1496959252925014017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1496959252925014017%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurovisionfun.com%2F2022%2F02%2Feurovision-2022-CEBCCEB5CF84CEAC-CF84CEB7CEBD-CF83CEBFCF85CEB7CEB4CEAFCEB1-CEB4CEB1CEBDCEAFCEB1-CEBACEB1CEB9-CEBBCEB9CEB8CEBFCF85CEB1CEBD%2F

We are awaiting with interest the reactions from the other members of the EBU, but also for the final decision regarding Russia’s participation in Eurovision 2022.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all developments!

The official EBU announcement regarding Russia’s participation

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After SVT’s pressure to exclude Russia from Eurovision Song Contest 2022, the EBU has said that Russia remains welcome at Eurovision 2022.

Jo Waters, Senior Communications Officer of the EBU made an official statement:

As the situation between Russia and Ukraine escalates, access to trusted, factual and impartial information is more critical than ever.

All media broadcasters and the EBU as a union are focused on doing our job for the public in difficult circumstances and will not hesitate to condemn any infringements or violations of press freedom.

It is vital for journalists to be allowed to continue to operate both freely and safely, and report without hindrance. Supporting media freedom must be prioritized, not despite these challenging circumstances, but because of them.

This situation puts the EBU in a difficult position. It is not the governments that are members of the EBU, but the broadcasters. The EBU is not in the position to sanction a member based on the actions of its government. They could claim – as UA:PBC suggested – that the broadcaster violated the member’s codes of conduct – as happened with Belarus.

When the EBU suspended Yugoslavia’s membership in the 1990s, their action was based on a UN Security Council Resolution. This will not happen with Ukraine, since Russia is a permanent member of the council and has the rights of veto power.

Should the EBU choose to suspend membership from Russia, this would be the second time in 12 months that a broadcaster has lost its membership from the EBU. In July 2021, the Belarusian public broadcaster had its EBU membership suspended for failing to meet its freedom of expression obligations.

Ukraine in the top 3 of the betting odds, Russia out of the top 20!

While all of the above is happening, Ukraine has rose again in the betting odds, despite replacing Alina Pash with Kalush Orchestra. They are currently in third place, unlike Russia who has been on a steady fall over the last few hours, and as a result are in 21st place as of now.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

Russia is welcome at Eurovision 2022, says EBU | Sweden’s SVT asks to review this decision!

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The EBU in its statements today, immediately after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine, stated that Russia remains welcome at Eurovision 2022.

Russia is welcome in Eurovision 2o22

Following the EBU’s statement that Russia remains open to the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, the SVT CEO of the Swedish public service broadcaster called on the EBU to reconsider.

The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political cultural event that unites countries and celebrates differences through music. EBU members in both Russia and Ukraine have committed to participating in this year’s event in Turin and we intend to welcome and let artists from both countries participate in May. Of course, we continue to follow developments closely.

EBU

Sweden is asking EBU reconsider its decision

Speaking to the GP, Hanna Stjärne, CEO of SVT, shared her thoughts on the EBU statement, noting:

The EBU needs to rethink. I sympathise with the basic idea of ​​Eurovision as an apolitical event. But the situation in Europe is extremely serious, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It crosses all boundaries. We have called on the EBU to change and will follow developments closely.

SVT

SVT is the first broadcaster to comment publicly on whether Russia should be able to compete in Eurovision 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine this morning.

Ukraine demands expulsion of Russia from the EBU

Earlier, Ukrainian public television asked the EBU to suspend membership of the Russian Public Television Association. Specifically they state:

key values ​​of public service broadcasting;
ensuring freedom of speech and information; free formation of points of view;
development of intercultural dialogue;

In a letter to the President of the European Broadcasting Union, Delphine Ernotte, the Chairman of the Board of Suspilne Mykola Chernotytskyy called on the EBU to:

We recognize that the process of terminating or suspending EBU membership requires careful consideration by the EBU Executive Board and referral to the EBU General Assembly. In the meantime, we call on the EBU to respond now to the unacceptable situation caused by Russia with the support of its essentially state broadcasters that are members of the EBU.

You can read the full letter here.

Should the EBU choose to suspend its membership from Russia, this will be the second time in 12 months that a broadcaster has lost its membership of the EBU. In July 2021, the Belarusian public broadcaster was suspended as a member of the EBU for failing to fulfill its obligations of freedom of expression.

In the top 3 of bets is Ukraine, except for the top 20 is Russia

While all of the above is happening, Ukraine has risen again in betting, despite the replacement of Alina Pash with the Kalush Orchestra. At the moment it is in the third place, in contrast to Russia which is in a continuous descent in the last hours, as a result of which it is in the 21st place at the time of writing!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

 

Russia: Three artists for the final selection | Dream Team’s participation is in doubt | EXCLUSIVE

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This year’s entry of Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest will literally be announced in the last minute. The country’s public television, even at the time of writing, has not yet reached the song, nor the artist, who will represent Russia in Turin, with three names remaining on the table.

Three artists are still in the crisis of the Russian public television, Russia 1, for the representation of the country in Eurovision 2022. Although we are in the last ten days of February, Russia 1 has not made its final decisions.

Today 22/2, the Dream Team had another meeting for this purpose, with the management of the Russian public television, to discuss these three names. Two of them are women and one is a male artist.

According to our exclusive information, the Dream Team would undertake the difficult task of this year’s Russian representation in the competition (judging by the general political developments), in case one of the two artists they have proposed to Russia 1 for several months was selected. However, if the third artist on this list is finally selected, then the possibility that Dream Team will not represent Russia this year is the most probable.

The final decision as mentioned above has not been made, although it is expected to be finalized in the next 24 hours. Of course, due to time pressure, the song will be released at the end of the deadline, ie on the weekend of March 12-13.

We are waiting with interest for the final decisions of the Russian public television, on which, of course, the decisions of the Dream Team will depend. The only thing that is certain is that Russia will normally take part in Eurovision 2022, regardless of political developments.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding the Russian participation in Eurovision 2022!

Россия: Dream Team в Москве перед окончательным выбором!

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Дрим Тим (Димитрис Контопулос и Илиас Кокотос) находится в Москве, судя по их аккаунтам в социальных сетях. Эта поездка в российскую столицу является ключевой в связи с представлением страны на Евровидении 2022.

Не секрет, что каждый второй год, когда Россия 1 берет на себя участие России в конкурсе, канал сотрудничает с Dream Team, что на самом деле приносит им много хороших результатов до сих пор. Также не секрет, что одним из имен, с которыми Dream Team хотела бы сотрудничать на Евровидении 2022, является суперзвезда Клава Кока. На самом деле, певица была в Афинах несколько месяцев назад и в студии Димитриса Контопулоса, вероятно, записала потенциальную песню для конкурса.

Конечно, ничего не следует принимать на веру, так как если артист, которого выбрала Россия 1, не удовлетворит Dream Team в качестве выбора, то совсем не исключено, что они в конечном итоге не поедут на конкурс от страны.

Пока неясно, какими будут решения как российского общественного телевидения, так и Dream Team. Однако пришло время окончательного решения!

Оставайтесь с нами на Eurovisionfun, чтобы быть в курсе всех событий, касающихся участия России в Евровидении 2022!

Russia: Dream Team is in Moscow in view of the final choice for the country’s representation!

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The Dream Team (Dimitris Kontopoulos and Ilias Kokotos) is in Moscow, as we see through their social network accounts. This trip to the Russian capital is the most important one, in relation to the representation of the country in Eurovision 2022.

It is no secret that every second year, when channel Russia 1 undertakes the participation of Russia in the competition, the channel cooperates with the Dream Team, which in fact has brought them a lot of good results so far. It is also no secret that one of the names with which the Dream Team would like to collaborate for Eurovision 2022 is the superstar Klava Koka. In fact, Klava Koka was in Athens a few months ago, recording in the studio of Dimitris Kontopoulos, probably a potential song for the competition.

Of course, nothing should be taken for granted, since if the artist who Russia 1 has chosen does not satisfy the Dream Team as a choice, then it is not at all unlikely that they will eventually not be chosen for this year’s Russian participation.

It remains to be seen what the decisions of both the Russian public television and the Dream Team will be. The time for the final decision in Russia has arrived!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding the Russian participation in Eurovision 2022!

Eurovision 2022: Here are the results of the allocation draw!

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The Semi-Final Allocation Draw for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 took place in Palazzo Madama in Turin. Find out below in which of the 2 Semi-Finals your country will perform and vote in. The annual event was hosted by Carolina di Domenico and Mario Acampa.

The Semi-Final Allocation Draw and Host City Insignia Exchange are key milestones on the path to the Eurovision Song Contest each year.

During the ceremony, Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, passed on the Host City Insignia to Stefano Lo Russo, Mayor of Turin. The insignia key chain, weighing over 30 kilograms with the new addition of Rotterdam’s insignia, was handed over to Turin. The Italian city is now officially the Host City of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

Draw Procedure

The 36 countries competing in the semifinals were divided into six pots, based on the points they have exchanged in recent years. This is done in order to avoid, as much as possible, the alliances and bloc voting that appear every year in the voting.

Allocation Pots

Big 5

With the host Italy, directly in the final, along with the rest of the Big 5 (UK, France, Germany, Spain), the first part of the draw determined the semifinal that the direct finalists will vote.

Will vote in the 1st Semi-Final:

  • France
  • Italy

Will vote in the 2nd Semi-Final:

  • Spain
  • Germany
  • United Kingdom

Their performance in the dress rehearsal will be shown in the semifinals where the six aforementioned countries were drawn to broadcast and vote. This was done at Eurovision 2016 for the first time, for reasons of equal visibility of the countries that are directly in the final and the countries that compete in the semifinals. Essentially, viewers watch each entry twice during the shows.

Allocation Draw

The draw of the countries for the two semifinals had two parts. In the first part, the 36 countries that participate in the semifinals, were drawn in which of the two will compete. 18 countries will compete in both the first and the second semifinal.

In the second part each country found out if it will appear in the first or in the second half of the semifinal that will compete. The exact order of appearance will be determined by the EBU and the producers of the show at a later time.

First Semi-Final (10 May):

1st Half

  • Albania
  • Switzerland
  • Latvia
  • Slovenia
  • Moldova
  • Bulgaria
  • Ukraine
  • Lithuania
  • Netherlands

2nd Half

  • Norway
  • Russia
  • Portugal
  • Denmark
  • Armenia
  • Austria
  • Croatia
  • Iceland
  • Greece

Second Semi-Final (12 May):

1st Half

  • Australia
  • Georgia
  • Cyprus
  • Serbia
  • Finland
  • Azerbaijan
  • San Marino
  • Israel
  • Malta

2nd Half

  • Montenegro
  • Romania
  • Czech Republic
  • Poland
  • Belgium
  • North Macedonia
  • Sweden
  • Estonia
  • Ireland

Turin will host the 66th Eurovision Song Contest from May 10th to 14th at the Pala Alpitour. The motto of this year’s event, as chosen by the organizers, is “The Sound of Beauty”.

You can see the draw again through the following link: