Eurovision Song Contest bans Russia for this year's event amid Ukraine invasion
manchestereveningnews.co.ukRussia has been banned from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Announcing that Russia would not be able to compete in this year’s contest in Turin, in May, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said it would bring the contest into “disrepute”.
Previously Eurovision said that it would allow Russia to compete, but after facing strong criticism from state broadcasters in countries such as Iceland, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands it u-turned.
Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC had also earlier this week urged the EBU to suspend Russia’s membership and ban it from the contest.
READ MORE: Ukrainian men 'conscripted on the spot' as refugees undertake 43-mile walk to Poland A statement released on Friday said the EBU’s executive board had made the decision following a recommendation by the Eurovision governing body, known as the reference group, based on “the rules of the event and the values of the EBU”.
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