Greek singer Akylas reflects on Eurovision 2022 after 10th place amid voting scandal

Greek entrant Akylas finished 10th in the Eurovision 2022 final in Turin with 220 points for his song “Ferto”. In an Instagram video from his hotel in Vienna, he thanked fans for the love he received, described the experience as “magical”, and apologized for any disappointment, saying he did not want to let anyone down. The response from the Greek music community was overwhelmingly supportive, with artists such as Bessie Argyraki, Nikos Gkanos and Giannis Zouganellis praising his performance and talent.

A separate statistical study by researchers at the University of Stirling identified a voting irregularity in the 2022 contest. Six juries – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania and San Marino – were found to have exchanged a total of 251 points in a pattern unlikely to occur by chance (probability estimated at 1 in 58 000). The European Broadcasting Union annulled those jury scores and replaced them with statistically‑derived results, sparking debate over vote‑rigging in the competition.

The combined coverage highlights both Akylas’s personal reaction to his Eurovision run and broader concerns about the integrity of the contest’s voting system.