Dutch artist misses Eurovision rehearsal after ‘incident’, organizers say

MALMO, Sweden (AP) — Dutch singer Joost Klein was not allowed to attend either of the two rehearsals Friday before the Eurovision Song Contest after an “incident,” the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the event, said in a statement.

“We are currently investigating an incident reported to us involving the Dutch artist. He will not rehearse until further notice,” the EBU statement said.

Klein, who did not take part in the first rehearsal on Friday, will also not appear at the second dress rehearsal scheduled for 7pm GMT, the EBU later said, citing the ongoing investigation.

The performances during the rehearsal were voted on by juries in the 37 participating countries, but Klein’s performance from the semi-final would be used instead, the EBU said.

The EBU also said it was in dialogue with Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, without providing further details on the nature of the investigation.

It wasn’t clear whether Klein, whose quirky song “Europapa” originally made him a favorite, would perform in Saturday’s finale.

The EBU and Klein did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Thursday, more than 10,000 people demonstrated against Israel’s participation in the southern Swedish city of Malmö, where the competition is taking place.

Eurovision Song Contest organizers have resisted calls to exclude Israel over its military campaign in Gaza, sparked by the Hamas attack on October 7, arguing that the contest is a non-political event.

Israeli solo artist Golan, 20, was one of eight acts who qualified for the final on Thursday and has become one of the favorites among bookmakers to win the competition.

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