Draw Controversy In Belgrade

The running order for Eurovision has always been a factor in determining success at Eurovision, especially in the televoting era when voters may not have been watching since song one, but Eurovision has often been reticent about making the draw procedure as open and above-board as possible. Quite often the draw has consisted of a number of balls being opened without much discernable shuffling. In the last few years, slots for the semi-finalists have been left open at the original draw then when the envelopes have been opened at the end of the semi (again after not a great deal of shuffling) the announced qualifiers have slotted into the draw in order of the remaining spaces.

In 2008 eighty percent of the finalists are having to qualify, and after the ten announcements over two semi-final nights their position in the contest final is being drawn off-camera after the second-semi. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to draw a position for each qualifier at the time they were announced, but that of course is far too transparent for Eurovision.

The two worst draws left in the final are 1st and 3rd and you can almost bet your life that the Russian song (that is practically being groomed for victory this year) won't be in those slots, but it would be nice to think that in a transparent draw that could just happen. Now it would be truly amazing if it were to.

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