Joost Klein, the Eurovision contestant from the Netherlands, was disqualified from the competition in Malmö, Sweden, just hours before the grand final on May 10, 2024. This decision came after a female member of the production crew filed a complaint with Swedish police over an alleged backstage incident involving threats made by Klein. Swedish police confirmed that Klein, aged 26, a favorite to win, is likely to face charges for making the threats, and if convicted, may receive a fine.
The incident led to a significant reaction from Dutch broadcaster Avrotros, which expressed shock over the disqualification and explained that the incident occurred when Klein was filmed without his consent while moving to the green room after a performance. Klein reportedly made a "threatening move" towards a female camera operator during this time, although he did not physically touch her. Avrotros criticized the decision to disqualify Klein despite their attempts to resolve the situation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizer of Eurovision.
The EBU, meanwhile, issued a statement regretting that some delegations did not respect the apolitical spirit of Eurovision's rules, particularly amidst background tensions involving Israel’s participant and broader regional conflicts. This year's contest was marred by behind-the-scenes disputes and public controversies, including criticisms of the coverage by Israeli broadcaster Kan and procedural complaints from other national delegations. The EBU also faced backlash for banning the EU flag during the grand final, a decision that drew criticism from the European Commission.
Swiss contestant Nemo won Eurovision 2024 amidst these tumultuous circumstances.