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Cheating in Eurovision voting

Den

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I'm not a frequent guest at this forum, but today I wanna discuss that question with other Eurovision viewers.
You know, everybody who has eyes had to note that strange 12 points from Malta every year:
2010 - 12 points from Malta to Azerbaijan
2011 - 12 points from Malta to Azerbaijan
2012 - 12 points from Malta to Azerbaijan
2013 - 12 points from Malta to Azerbaijan
Yes, Az. has very successful results every year with a lot of points. But 12 points every year from that small country...really? Other countries who was successful two years in a row (like Sweden 2011-2012 and Russia 2012-2013) got their 12 points from different countries in different years, even despite the fact that both countries have MUCH more influence (cultural and political) than Az.
Also, I guess you know that Az. and Malta has nothing common at all, this is like Turkey and Greenland.
So, what's the deal?
Yesterday I got the link, where the Lithuanian news website reported that some men on the streets offered to vote yesterday for other country (Russia?) at Eurovision from their numerous SIM cards. <a href="http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/eurovizija/uzsienieciai/zurnalistinis-eksperimentas-balsu-pirkejai-konkurse-eurovizija-2013-ant-stalo-zeria-pluostus-euru-ir-sako-kad-tai-vienintelis-kelias-laimeti-125-336718">source in Lithuanian</a> <a href="http://www.15min.lt/ru/article/vesti/pobeditel-evrovidenija-2013-kuplen-zhurnalisty-15min-lt-razoblachili-v-litve-bandu-kotoraja-skupala-golosa-504-336735">sourse in Russian</a> . You can translate it with Google.
Some students who got that proposal, desided to capture the process on camera. They came to the designated place and heard that they should vote not for Russia, but for...Az. You can watch the video, following the links above.
And yesterday we saw that Lithuania gave its 12 points to....yes, to Azerbaijan. Remind to you, this video appeared BEFORE Saturday final.
The most interesting phrase is this article is: "A man without any hesitation said that they work for Azerbaijan the same way in 15 countries."
Even Russian-Belarussian or Norwegian-Swedish brotherly unions don't work every year. But Malta gives 12 points to Az. FOUR yeas in a row, and Lithuania - three. And now watch that video again...don't you see the connection?

You know, Az. really wants to improve its international reputation. If you watch Euronews you had to see these eternal pro-Az. videos there during commercial breaks. Last year Az. spent more than $750 000 000 for Eurovision hosting (Sweden this year - less than $25 mln). They buy songs and stage ideas from Swedes for big money EVERY year, because their own music is an empty place. I guess some of you remember that 46 Azeris who voted for Armenia in 2009 were arrested (!!!). At last, these strange votes of some countries...

Maybe it is time to stop them?
 

Quent91

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

The EBU should really start looking deeper in the voting process and those strange points we can see every year from Malta and stop thinking only about money from the telephone votes !

If what you say is true, EBU should exclude Azerbaïdjan some years from the contest IOTAP
 

wittgenstein

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

hm... if I understand the new rules right you could only vote for a country 20 times from the same number/telephone- that would mean they would also have to buy a great deal of sim-cards ... seems a little too much trouble? no?

and we have also the juries - if your theory is correct azerbaijan would always be on top in televote but not necessary in juryvote.
 

Celia

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

I really don't want to offend anyone here but I'm sure there's some cheating going on here. I've always thought so.
 

seb89

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

I amways wonder why Azerbaijan is so high with only mediocre songs.

Last year Az. spent more than $750 000 000 for Eurovision hosting (Sweden this year - less than $25 mln).

OMG! And the Swedish show was 750 000 000 times better!
 

Quent91

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

I really don't want to offend anyone here but I'm sure there's some cheating going on here. I've always thought so.

neither do I, but I really don't understand the results they get every year xshrug If their song was under another country's flag, it would be less ranked in the final xthink
 

mono

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

it's not the first time i hear this. i've read on this forum that the same happened last year with Cyprus. They had 0 votes from telephone but got 12 pts in televoting with votes coming only from sms. can someone confirm this?
 

wittgenstein

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

If there we're cheating going on, anywhere, it would be dreadful for the competition. I hope this is just rumours.

BUT, if the cheating is going on like the introduction of this thread means it should not be very hard for EBU to investigate - there must be a possibility to track if there are a great number of new sim-cards/numbers being used?
 

QwaarJet

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

There is definitely something going on here. I know Eurovision fans like to pretend that nothing like this happens, but bloody hell.
 

Smudy

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

Uh oh, Azerbaijan's gonna get it.
 

SRBIJA

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

Yesterday it also became clear that San Marino and Albania swapped votes last year. xshrug
 

alca

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

 

mono

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

i don't understand russian. can someone translate it? thank you!
 

Trece

Han Hazretleri
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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

but Azerbaijan also gives Malta many points every year. Malta bought Azerbaijan? xrofl3
 

Celia

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

but Azerbaijan also gives Malta many points every year. Malta bought Azerbaijan? xrofl3

I think they do so that :mt: don't complain (I mean this year many countries liked :mt: but what about Kurt Calleja?)
 

Trece

Han Hazretleri
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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

2011 :az: => :mt: in semi :7:
2012 :az: => :mt: in final :8:
2013 :az: => :mt: in finak :8:
its small? for :az: which has so many exUSSR friends...
 

Trece

Han Hazretleri
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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

I think they do so that :mt: don't complain (I mean this year many countries liked :mt: but what about Kurt Calleja?)

how you think about :az: i think :nl: bought EBU this year that qualify finally and get high place (with such dreadful song) and no surprise that exUSSR didn't gave it any points (thank God)
 

RainyWoods

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

Another weird thing I have noticed is the views for their videos on youtube. Take the ESCUNITED South African good luck videos for instance. Most are under 500 views yet the Azerbaijan video rather mysteriously has 72,000 views.

I've nothing against Azerbaijani people but theres something that doesn't sit right with me on how the country participates in Eurovision. That panorama investigates programme (or whatever it was) last year was shocking when they went to Azerbaijan and secretly filmed what was going on in the run up to Eurovision.. and when they spoke to people who told shocking stories of what had happened to them.
 

QwaarJet

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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

how you think about :az: i think :nl: bought EBU this year that qualify finally and get high place (with such dreadful song) and no surprise that exUSSR didn't gave it any points (thank God)

Netherlands dreadful song? Yeah, OK. It was plainly obvious why it did well and this has nothing to do with Azeri vote buying.
 

Trece

Han Hazretleri
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Re: Proof that Azerbaijan cheats in Eurovision voting

and should add, :az: wasn't even in my top10 before ESC, but performance and song impressed me during show and I very like :az: now and think that 2nd for them deserved as never (except 2009)
 
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