Eurovision is 'not racist'
Andrew Lloyd Webber's Eurovision racism claims have been denied
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Wednesday, 04, Jul 2012 08:33
By Mark Fordham
Organisers of the Eurovision song contest have defended it against claims that racism has been a factor in the UK's poor recent record in the competition.
Andrew Lloyd Webber made suggestions in a Radio Times interview that black contestants have fared worst in the voting.
He even claimed that when he took Jade Ewen to the 2009 contest he was asked why he had brought a black artist.
However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which stages the annual event, denied any suggestions of racism, BBC News reports.
The statement reeled off the number of black people competing this year including one of the backing dancers to the eventual winner of the competition Loreen.
Lloyd Webber in his interview said that Ewen would have finished second in 2009 had racism not played a part in some of the decisions.
Denying the racism claims, the EBU added: "On the contrary, we celebrate the differences among different entries, truly uniting Europe for three nights a year."