COMMENTARY

So Russia has won the Eurovision song (read geo-political beauty) contest with “Believe” sung by Dima Bilan.

This means that Russia will host next year’s bash.  And in turn, that probably means Moscow.

Moscow?  Hosting the campest TV show on the planet – the show that is iconic around Europe in the gay communities?

The virulently homophobic mayor of Moscow appears to have what he might well describe as another “satanic gathering” on his hands in May 2009.

Already, Pride London, the UK’s largest LGBT Pride, has today reacted with surprise at the news that Moscow will host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

And rightly so, as the mayor of Moscow has a total ban on Moscow Gay Pride ever since the first effort in 2006, and sees to it that his bully-boy police treat gays in a heavy-handed way, while allowing anti-gay demonstrations by religious and fascist groups .

“I don’t want to detract from Dima Bilan’s victory; it’s a great song,” Colm Howard-Lloyd, a director of Pride London commented this morning.

“But how can you let a city that denies some of the most basic human rights to LGBT people host the content next year?

“I know thousands of people, and many bars and clubs, hosted Eurovision parties to celebrate the event.  I'm not sure how comfortable it will be, next year, to get as excited about Eurovision when we know the host city beats-up and detains people because of their sexuality.  Even Terry Wogan has now talked about quitting the show!”

The European Broadcasting Union, the “club” of 75 broadcasters from 56 countries, has an opportunity to help the gay community in Russia.

No Gay Pride in Moscow – no Eurovision, they could say.

Yes, a little bribery.  But then, that it nothing new in the corridors of power in Moscow City Hall.

Hopefully, Svante Stockselius, the head of the Song Contests Unit at the EBU in Switzerland, will take note, perhaps re-reading the EBU’s guidance A Diversity Toolkit. .

As for the United Kingdom’s entry for next year … How about Sir Elton John writing a suitable song and teaming up with George Michael for the performance?