Eurovision defends Ukraine’s win as 350,000 sign petition protesting result
When Ukraine’s Jamala won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm on Saturday night (May 14), some fans soon began to protest that voting changes made this year meant that the entry was not the ‘right’ winner.
A petition on Change.org was created calling on Eurovision to review the voting process because Jamala didn’t top either the audience or jury votes, but still pipped Australian (who won the jury vote) and Russia (who won the public vote) to the title.
Fans also calculated that if Eurovision used last year’s voting system, then Australia would have won.
Eurovision officials have responded to the petition – which has since amassed over 350,000 supporters – defending Jamala as the rightful winner of the 2016 competition and calling on those complaining to “embrace” the result.
“We understand the passions and emotions that are engendered through the Eurovision Song Contest. In light of this, we have taken notice of your petition and appreciate this opportunity to respond,” Eurovision officials said in a statement published on the competition’s official Facebook page.
“The winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest was decided by music industry professionals and you, viewers at home, each with a 50 percent stake in the result.”
The added that Jamala won thanks to “broad support from both the juries as well as televoters.”
“Australia’s Dami Im won the jury vote and Russia’s Sergey Lazarev won the televoting. They both deserve credit for their world-class performances, their great songs and for taking their loss as true professionals. They may have not the contest, but responded to the outcome as winners. We respect and appreciate them for that.”
“The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition. There can only be one winner. We understand that not everyone agrees with the outcome of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest however in a competition where the results are decided based on a subjective and often very personal opinions, there will always be people who do not agree.”
They add: “Regardless of this, the results remains valid by all means, in accordance with the rules as they were known to each participating broadcaster, each artist and each dedicated fan.”
If Australia had won the competition, then it would have partnered with another Eurovision member in order to ensure that the competition continues to be held on European soil.
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