Ukraine has decided to ban a disabled Russian singer from performing at Eurovision this year because she illegally entered Ukraine in 2015 to perform at a concert in Crimea.
Julia Samoilova was banned from Ukraine for three years for the illegal entry, and has admitted to entering Crimea illegally through Russia and not Ukraine, according to the BBC.
Ukraine is hosting Eurovision in May and said Samoilova may not perform.
The European Broadcasting Union, founder of Eurovision, was “deeply disappointed” by the news and is trying to change Ukraine’s mind about the decision.
“We have to respect the local laws of the host country, however we are deeply disappointed in this decision as we feel it goes against both the spirit of the contest and the notion of inclusivity that lies at the heart of its values,” the EBU said in a statement, the BBC reported.
The theme of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is “celebrating diversity.” Samoilova has a disability that has caused her to use a wheelchair since childhood.
Some in Russia have called for a boycott of the singing competition as a result of the ban.
If the ban stands, Samoilova will be Russia’s representative in the 2018 contest, the BBC reported.
Twitter users weren’t happy about the singer being banned.
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