“I got that shawl from my father as a little boy, to never forget where the family comes from. I didn’t know then that it would one day be called a ‘political symbol’. It’s like calling the Dala horse a political symbol. In my eyes, it’s just racism,†Saade writes in a text message to SVT.
“I just wanted to be inclusive and wear something that is authentic to me – but the EBU seems to think my ethnicity is controversial. It says nothing about me, but everything about them. I say like this year’s ESC slogan: United by music†, he writes further.
It was amazing the opening number in the first semi-final of the Eurovision song contest that Eric Saade wore the shawl around his wrist. This despite the fact that the competition has a policy of being strictly apolitical and flags from countries that are not competing are not allowed.
The move drew criticism from both SVT and the Eurovision organizer EBU.
“We think it is boring that he uses his participation in this way,†executive producer Ebba Adielsson said in a comment to TT.
The organizer EBU also regretted the incident.
“The Eurovision song contest is a live show. Everyone who performs is well aware of the rules of the competition and we regret that Eric Saade chose to compromise with the rules of being neutral, the EBU stated in a comment to Expressen.
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