Eurovision artists 'banned from taking Pride flags onto the stage' for 2025 Switzerland competition
Bosses of the annual song contest, which is this year taking place in the city of Basel, have issued new flag guidance.
The rules, which have been developed by the Swiss host broadcaster SRG SSR, state that contestants will only be able to bring the official flag of their country into any official Eurovision events, venues or related performances.
This includes the likes of the Opening Ceremony, the Eurovision Village Stage, the Flag Parade, the Green Room and of course the main Eurovision stage.
In a statement provided to Metro, the event states the new guidance is 'in line with other international competitive events'
The competition explained: 'Together we wanted to strike a balance to ensure that our audiences and artists can express their enthusiasm and identities, whilst at the same time provide more clarity for the delegations when it comes to official spaces.'
'Outside of these official spaces the flag policy for delegations is the same as for audiences, where all flags permitted under Swiss law can be used, including Pride flags, and provides plenty of opportunities for the expression of everyone's identities.'
It comes after last year's non-binary winner Nemo had to 'smuggle in' the non-binary flag to the parade after being refused by officials in Malmö, Sweden.
The song contest has long been associated with the LGBTQ community, often called 'Queer Christmas' by fans.
However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) banned the yellow, white, purple and black striped flag, forcing champion Nemo to 'smuggle' one in.
In a press conference after their win, Nemo was asked about the decision and branded it 'unbelievable', and accused the contest bosses of a 'double standard'.
They said: 'I had to smuggle my flag in because Eurovision said no, but I did it anyway, so I hope some people did that too.
'But, I mean, come on, this is clearly a double standard.'
The EBU received further backlash after the official Eurovision Twitter account shared a photo of Nemo holding the non-binary flag aloft, with the caption: 'Non-binary finery', with fans calling this 'hypocritical'.
MailOnline has contacted Eurovision for comment.
In February, this year's UK Eurovision was revealed as country girl band Remember Monday.
The band, comprising of Charlotte, Holly and Lauren, will perform their song What The Hell Just Happened? in a bid to compete for Eurovision glory next month.
And it isn't the band's first time taking part in a televised competition after they entered The Voice back in 2019 and caught the eye of BBC Radio 2 Breakfast host Scott Mills when they were played on the station last year.
They have also performed at a string of major UK events including Country to Country, The Long Road and Buckle and Boots.
The group are a trio of best friends, who have earned a reputation for their strong vocals and perfectly blended harmonies.
Their entry into the competition marks the first time a girlband will represent the UK for the first time since 1999.
The song, which is out now, is an upbeat pop track full of energy, excitement and drama and was co-written by Billen Ted (Tom Hollings and Sam Brennan), Thomas Stengaard and Julie 'Kill J' Aagaard.
The girls look set to be onto a winning formula as BRIT Award nominees, Billen Ted, have worked with Little Mix, Anne Marie, MNEK and Armin van Buuren to name a few.
Thomas Stengaard previously wrote Denmark's 2013 Eurovision winning song Only Teardrops. Meanwhile, Julie 'Kill J' Aagaard is both a multi-platinum songwriter and a successful experimental pop artist in her own right.
As well as their own brand of empowering pop, Remember Monday have become renowned for their viral melodies on social media. They've amassed over half a million loyal followers and 11.3 million likes on TikTok alone.
The band have skilfully crafted playful acapella takes on the songs of a wide range of artists from Sabrina Carpenter, Queen and Shania Twain, to Wicked.
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