Russia Could Pull Out Of Eurovision Over Conchita Wurst, Start Own Contest

Communist Party MP Valerii Rishkin is so upset about Conchita Wurst, he is calling for Russia to pull out of Eurovision and stage its own contest.

“The results of the latest Eurovision were the last straw,” he said. “We must leave this contest immediately, it is high time that we stop tolerating this madness. Each year Russia spends EUR 40 M on this.” According to Rishkin, Russia had enough resources and possibilities to create its own song competition “Voice of Eurasia”. “We have global events such as the Olympics, we can have our own contest,” he said. “I think that all countries from the Eurasian space, as well as many others, will support us.” The ruling party United Russia expressed its indignation with the victory of the “bearded drag queen”. According to the deputy head of the parliamentary committee on family, women and children, Olga Batalina, the results of the Eurovision contest were the result of “propaganda of untraditional culture, including gay culture”.

Rishkin did not suggest which other countries would be welcome to compete in his proposed Voice Of Eurasia contest.

RELATED: The Eurovision Song Contest launched in 1956 with just seven participating countries. Over the years some countries have dropped in and out of competing due to costs, political strife, or internal contest scandals. Thirty-seven nations competed this year. Russia first competed in 1994 and their only win came in 2008. Their campy 2012 entry of six disco-singing grandmothers finished second behind Sweden.