Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022

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Eurovision Song Contest 2022
CountryFlag of Russia.svg  Russia
Finals performance
Semi-final resultExcluded
Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2021 •2022

Russia was scheduled to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy. However, on 25 February 2022, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) excluded Russia from participating. [1] Russia was originally set to perform in the second half of the first semi-final on 10 May 2022. [2]

Contents

Background

Prior to the 2022 contest, Russia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 23 times since its first entry in 1994. Russia has won the contest on one occasion in 2008 with the song "Believe" performed by Dima Bilan. In 2016, Russia finished third with the song "You Are the Only One" performed by Sergey Lazarev, who would later return to represent his country again in 2019 with the song "Scream", also finishing in third place. In 2018, Russia placed fifteenth in the second semi-final with the song "I Won't Break" performed by Yuliya Samoylova, making it the first time Russia did not qualify for the final since the introduction of semi-finals in 2004. [3] In 2021, "Russian Woman" performed by Manizha qualified for the final and ultimately finished ninth with 204 points. [4]

Before Eurovision

Artist selection

No official announcement was made by national broadcaster VGTRK regarding the Russian selection for 2022. According to non-confirmed rumors, shortlisted acts included Aleksandr Panayotov, Danya Milokhin, Egor Kreed, Vanya Dmitrienko, Klava Koka and Yaroslava Simonova. [5] [6] [7] Later, the number of artists on the shortlist was reduced to three: two women (Klava Koka, Yaroslava Simonova) and one man, among whom VGTRK selected a representative. [8] Ultimately, Yaroslava Simonova was reportedly selected as the Russian representative. [9] [10] [11]

Exclusion

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022, Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC appealed to suspend Russian EBU member broadcasters VGTRK and Channel One from the union, and to exclude Russia from competing in the contest. The appeal alleged that since the beginning of the Russian military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, VGTRK and Channel One had been a mouthpiece for the Russian government and a key tool of political propaganda financed from the Russian state budget. [12] The EBU initially stated that Russia as well as Ukraine would still be allowed to participate in the contest, citing the non-political nature of the event. [13] [14] Gustav Lützhøft, editor-in-chief of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix for Danish broadcaster DR, stated: "we find it incompatible with Eurovision's values that Russia is participating." [15] [16] [17] Sweden's SVT, [18] Iceland's RÚV, [19] Lithuania's LRT [20] and Norway's NRK [21] also called on the EBU to exclude Russia from the contest, while the Netherlands' AVROTROS, [22] Poland's TVP [23] and Ukraine's UA:PBC [24] additionally called on the EBU to suspend Russia's membership of the union. Estonia's ERR [25] and Finland's Yle [26] stated that they would not participate if Russia were invited. Latvian representatives at the 2022 contest, Citi Zēni, called on the EBU in an email to reconsider their decision to allow Russia to compete. [27]

On 25 February 2022, the EBU announced that Russia would not compete at the contest, stating 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." [1] The following day, all EBU members from Russia, including VGTRK and Channel One, announced their withdrawal from the union; however, the EBU itself had yet to receive a confirmation. [28] [29] On 1 March, a further statement from the EBU announced that it had suspended its Russian members from its governance structures. [30]

After Eurovision

On 26 May 2022, the EBU made effective the suspension of its Russian members, causing Russia to indefinitely lose broadcasting and participation rights for future Eurovision events. [31] [32]

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References

  1. 1 2 "EBU statement regarding the participation of Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022". Eurovision.tv. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Eurovision 2022: Which Semi-Final is your country performing in? 🇮🇹". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  3. ↑ "Russia". EBU . Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  4. ↑ "Grand Final of Rotterdam 2021". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ↑ Названы кандидаты на участие в «Евровидении-2022» от России. Kulturomania.ru (in Russian). 17 December 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  6. ↑ Почему Клава Кока может поехать на Евровидение 2022. KP.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  7. ↑ Argyriou, Giannis (26 February 2022). "Russia: Slavia Simonova would represent the country at Eurovision 2022!". Eurovision Fun. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  8. ↑ Argyriou, Giannis (22 February 2022). "Russia: Three artists for the final selection | Dream Team's participation is in doubt | EXCLUSIVE". EurovisionFun. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "Россию на Евровидении должна была представить незрячая певица Ярослава Симонова". super.ru (in Russian). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  10. ↑ Arnoldova, Yelena (28 February 2022). "Россию на "Евровидении" могла представить незрячая певица". gazeta.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "Ярослава Симонова должна была представить Россию на "Евровидении"". kulturomania.ru (in Russian). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Суспільне вимагає припинити членство російських ЗМІ у ЄМС" [Suspilne demands the termination of the membership of the Russian media in the EBU]. suspilne.media (Press release) (in Ukrainian). UA:PBC. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  13. ↑ Green, Alex (24 February 2022). "Russia can compete in Eurovision despite Ukraine invasion, organisers say". The Independent . Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  14. ↑ Wyser, Daniel (24 February 2022). "Trots krigshandling – Ryssland välkomnas fortfarande till ESC". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Sveriges Television . Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  15. ↑ Ellegaard, Christian (25 February 2022). "Flere lande vil smide Rusland ud af Eurovision: 'Meget forkert, hvis de får lov at deltage'". dr.dk (in Danish). DR . Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  16. ↑ Bay Madsen, Nanna (24 February 2022). "DR i modangreb: Rusland skal UD!". ekstrabladet.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  17. ↑ Maude, James (24 February 2022). "Citi Zeni, The Roop, the Danish Broadcaster and More Respond to EBU's Russia Eurovision 2022 Participation Stance". ESCUnited. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  18. ↑ Granger, Anthony (24 February 2022). "🇸🇪 Sweden: SVT Calls on EBU to Rethink Whether Russia Should Compete in Eurovision". Eurovoix. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  19. ↑ Þór Guðmundsson, Brynjólfur (25 February 2022). "Vilja Rússa úr Eurovision" (in Icelandic). RÚV . Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "LRT ragina šalinti Rusiją iš "Eurovizijos", stebėti kanalų turinį dėl vėlesnių priemonių". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). LRT. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  21. ↑ Svelstad, Oda Elise (25 February 2022). "NRK vil ikke at Russland skal delta i Eurovision". nrk.no (in Norwegian). NRK . Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  22. ↑ "Statement AVROTROS - Eurovisie Songfestival". avrotros.nl (in Dutch). AVROTROS. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  23. ↑ "Oświadczenie polskich nadawców publicznych w sprawie sytuacji na Ukrainie". centruminformacji.tvp.pl (Press release). Telewizja Polska S.A. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  24. ↑ Granger, Anthony (24 February 2022). "Suspilne Requests The Suspension of Russian Broadcasters EBU Membership". Eurovoix.
  25. ↑ Kaldoja, Kerttu (25 February 2022). "Eesti osalemine Eurovisioonil sõltub Venemaa osalusest" (in Estonian). ERR . Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  26. ↑ "Yle vetoaa Euroopan yleisradiounioniin Venäjän sulkemiseksi pois Euroviisuista". yle.fi (Press release) (in Finnish). Yleisradio. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  27. ↑ Granger, Anthony (24 February 2022). "🇱🇻 Latvia: Citi Zēni Call on EBU to Reconsider Russia's Participation in Eurovision 2022". Eurovoix. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "ВГТРК, Первый канал и Радиодом "Останкино" выходят из ЕВС" [All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, Channel One and Ostankino Radio House withdraw from the EBU]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 26 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  29. ↑ "EBU Statement on RTR, Channel One and Radio House Ostankino membership". ebu.ch. EBU. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  30. ↑ "EBU Statement on Russian Members". ebu.ch. EBU. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  31. ↑ Vidal, Fernando Nicolás (26 May 2022). "La UER hace efectiva la suspensión indefinida a sus miembros rusos". ESCplus España (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  32. ↑ "Європейська мовна спілка призупинила членство російських ЗМІ" [The European Broadcasting Union has suspended membership of the Russian media]. suspilne.media (Press release) (in Ukrainian). UA:PBC . Retrieved 27 May 2022.
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