TEHRAN – Reflecting a growing momentum in the cultural boycott against Israel, legendary Irish singer Charlie McGettigan has announced he will surrender his 1994 Eurovision trophy.

The move, made in solidarity with 2024 Swiss champion Nemo, serves as a searing indictment of the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to permit Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest despite its military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 70,000 people and injured over 170,000, and which international bodies have labeled a genocide.

The revolt was ignited by Nemo, who recently returned his trophy, arguing that the EBU’s slogans of “unity and dignity” are hollow so long as the organization remains complicit in normalizing a state accused of war crimes.

“They [he] came across as sincere and a very intelligent person and stated their case very well, and therefore, in support of Nemo, I would like to return my trophy to the EBU as well,” McGettigan stated.

The EBU now faces a historic legitimacy crisis. Critics point to the swift 2022 expulsion of Russia as evidence of a glaring double standard, contrasting it with the continued inclusion of Israel as it systematically destroys Palestinian hospitals and schools.

This institutional silence has triggered the largest boycott in the contest's history, with broadcasters from Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Iceland, and the Netherlands officially withdrawing from the 2026 event.