THE HAGUE, April 2, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The Dutch government gave permission
Thursday for thousands of fans to attend the Eurovision Song Contest as part
of a trial to see how to reopen venues in the coronavirus pandemic.
Up to 3,500 spectators will be allowed into the Rotterdam Ahoy stadium for
the concerts from May 18 to 22 provided they follow conditions including
presenting a negative coronavirus test, the government said.
Last year’s edition of the glitzy annual extravaganza was cancelled because
of Covid-19.
“We welcome this decision by the Dutch government and the possibility that
we can invite fans to join us as we bring the Eurovision Song Contest back in
May,” Martin Oesterdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest,
said in a statement to AFP.
“We will consider the options now available and announce more details in
the coming weeks on how we can safely admit audiences to the Ahoy venue in
Rotterdam should the situation allow.
“The health and safety of all those attending the event remains our top
priority.”
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, said all national
delegations taking part in the contest would be kept strictly separate from
the audience.
The Netherlands has held a series of events under its “FieldLab” project
including a concert in Amsterdam involving 1,300 people and an international
football match that 5,000 people were allowed to attend.
Dutch media minister Arie Slob welcomed the chance to hold Eurovision “in a
completely safe and responsible way”.
“With the lessons we can learn from FieldLab, we hope we can take new steps
towards a society in which more can be done,” Slob said in a statement.
The Dutch government reserved the right to change the plan in case
infections rise significantly before May, including holding the event without
a live audience.
Around 65,000 fans were due to attend Eurovision in the Netherlands before
it was cancelled because of coronavirus.
The Netherlands won the right to host Eurovision after Dutch singer Duncan
Laurence stormed to victory in the 2019 contest in the Israeli city of Tel
Aviv.