French minister says Eurovision’s Italian winners could be disqualified over alleged drug use

Issued on: 24/05/2021 – 14:12

France’s Europe minister on Monday called for “total transparency” over speculation that one of Italy’s victorious Eurovision contestants used cocaine during the song contest, saying it should be grounds for disqualification if confirmed.

“I think there needs to be no doubt here, and total transparency,” Europe Minister Clément Beaune, who attended the show in Rotterdam, told RMC radio.

“If there is a problem, there are penalties … Provisions are made for sanctioning measures, including potential disqualification in case of problems,” he said.

Damiano David, the outlandish vocalist for Italian rockers Maneskin, has agreed to take a drug test after video footage appeared to show him snorting something from a table backstage during Saturday’s contest.

Maneskin has denied the allegations, saying they are against drugs. 

“I don’t use drugs. Please, guys. Don’t say that really, no cocaine. Please, don’t say that,” said lead singer David.

French hopes had been riding high on singer Barbara Pravi, who was a bookmakers’ favourite to end France’s 44-year Eurovision drought with her moody ballad “Voila”.

But she was edged out at the last minute by a surge in public votes for Maneskin – Danish for “moonlight”, and a tribute to bass player Victoria De Angelis’s Danish ancestry – who won with a total of 529 points. France came in second place while Switzerland, which led after national juries had voted, finished third.

“I don’t want to be a sore loser,” Beaune said, but “in terms of image, we can’t let people think that such competitions can result in such behaviour”.

Rock’n’roll never dies

The president of France’s public broadcasting group, however, said Monday that France would not contest its second-place finish, no matter the speculation over David’s backstage antics.

“France has absolutely no intention to lodge an appeal,” France Télévisions chief Delphine Ernotte told the Parisien newspaper.

“The vote was quite clearly in Italy’s favour – it didn’t steal its victory and that’s what matters,” she said.

Pravi herself said she was not interested in the speculation.

“What’s true is that they were chosen by both the public and the jury. Afterwards, if they use drugs or they put their underwear on backwards or whatever … it’s not my problem,” she told France 2 television on Sunday.

Maneskin got its start performing on Via del Corso, the main commercial thoroughfare in downtown Rome. Their scrappy performances in front of a Geox store were a far cry from the over-the-top, flame-throwing extravaganza Saturday night that literally split lead singer Damiano David’s pants.

David told a news conference this week that starting out on the street was embarrassing, since the group had to contend with other musicians vying for the same prized piece of sidewalk while neighbors complained about the noise. 

“They were always calling the police,” De Angelis said, laughing.

“Rock’n’roll never dies, tonight we made history. We love u,” the band tweeted before heading back home from Rotterdam, where this year’s contest was held.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)