TV BOSSES PROBE CLAIM THAT EUROVISION COUNTRIES ARE OFFERING BRIBES IN EXCHANGE FOR VOTES
Executive claims that Azerbaijan and four other countries have been
using underhand tactics to win votes Allegations made that Azerbaijani
delegate offered ‘enough money to live for a year’ in exchange for
high scores
By STEVE NOLAN
PUBLISHED: 06:47, 13 September 2013 | UPDATED: 12:16, 13 September 2013
An investigation has been launched into claims that several countries
have bought votes in the Eurovision Song Contest.
An executive from an unnamed country’s delegation, who had been
contacted by several rival countries seeking to strike deals for high
points, has made the claims in a Swedish newspaper this week.
The executive, who worked on this year’s contest in Malmo, Sweden,
accused 2011 winners Azerbaijan of offering him ‘enough money to live
for a year’ if they could arrange high jury points.
Foul play? An executive from an unnamed Eurovision Song Contest
country has claimed that Azerbaijan is one of several countries
offering bribes for country’s votes. Azerbaijan entrant in 2013 Farid
Mammadov is pictured
It is also claimed that members of the Azerbaijani delegation handed
out free mobile phone SIM cards to Lithuanian students and paid them
to vote.
Speaking in Swedish newspaper Skanska Dagbladet, the source claims
to have been contacted by a member of the Macedonian team hoping to
strike a vote swap deal at the semi-final stage.
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The source claims to have been offered ‘enough money to live for a
year’ over a coffee meeting with an Azerbaijani delegate in return
for high jury points.
According to the Daily Mirror, the executive added that there are
at least three other countries who have attempted to strike similar
deals behind the scenes.
Controversy: The source made allegations against Azerbaijan, whose
2011 winning act are pictured, left. UK entrant Bonnie Tyler, right,
also claims to have overheard Russians asking other countries where
were the votes that they paid for
UK entrant Bonnie Tyler, who came 19th out of 26 finalists in the
competition back in May, also told a French newspaper that she
overheard Russians asking why they didn’t get votes that they had
paid for the morning after the contest.
Sietse Bakker, Eurovision Song Contest Event Supervisor, told the
Mirror that the European Broadcasting Union is now investigating.
He said: ‘We have a very clear policy on such speculations.
‘First of all, we always look into the story. And if we would find
actual proof that the rules have been breached, we will impose firm
sanctions and do everything we can to avoid it in the future.’
The newspaper added that Eurovision experts fear that even though an
investigation into corruption has been promised, no real action will
be taken.
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From: A. Papazian
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2419782/TV-bosses-probe-claim-Eurovision-countries-offering-bribes-exchange-votes.html
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