Eurovision 2021: Italian winners Maneskin deny doing drugs during ceremony

‘We are ready to get tested, ‘cause we have nothing to hide,’ said the band

Italian rock band Måneskin, the winners of last night’s (22 May) Eurovision Song Contest, have denied taking drugs while on air.

In one part of the live broadcast of the ceremony, singer Damiano David was seen leaning forward while sat at a table, prompting viewers to suggest that he was sniffing cocaine.

The footage does not contain images of any drugs, and some viewers have suggested that David’s proximity to the table, and the fact that his hands were visible in-shot, showed that nothing illicit was going on.

In a statement, the Eurovision communications team said: “We are aware of the speculation surrounding the video clip of the Italian winners of the Eurovision Song Contest in the Green Room this evening and are looking into it.”

According to the singer, he was picking glass off the floor after it was dropped by bandmate Thomas Raggi.

In an Instagram story, the band wrote: “We are really shocked about what some people are saying about Damiano doing drugs. We really are AGAINST drugs and we never used cocaine. We are ready to get tested, ‘cause we have nothing to hide.

“We are here to play our music and we are so happy about our Eurovision win and we wanna thank everyone for supporting us. Rock n roll never dies. We love you.”

Speaking to press after the contest, David also explained the incident to reporters, saying: “Thomas broke a glass... I don’t use drugs.”

Måneskin were crowned champions on the night for their performance, while the UK finished with a total of zero points.

You can catch up with the ceremony’s biggest talking points here.