Organisers of the Eurovision song contest have defended it against claims that racism has been a factor in the UK's poor record in the competition.
Their response follows comments made by the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in an interview with the Radio Times.
Lord Lloyd-Webber told the magazine the low scores of acts like Blue and Jade Ewen had not been based on music alone.
The European Broadcasting Union, which stages the annual event, said the claims were unfair.
"At this year's final we had a female black singer representing Ukraine," said a spokesman.
"We have had no indications of racism. On the contrary, we celebrate the differences among different entries, truly uniting Europe for three nights a year."
Lord Lloyd-Webber said that when he took Ewen to Moscow in 2009, he was asked: "Why have you brought a black artist?"
Referring to this year's contest, the composer said: "I don't think there's any point beating around the bush. I don't think there was one black face on the programme."
Ewen, who sang It's My Time at the 2009 contest, has a Jamaican mother and Scottish-Sicilian father.
The singer, now a member of the Sugababes, eventually came fifth in the competition. According to Lord Lloyd-Webber, though, she deserved more.
"At the press conference in Moscow, I was asked 'why have you brought a black artist?'" he told the Radio Times.
"I said, 'because she is the most talented artist that we had and I think she's a major, major star'.
"I think we would have come second but there's a problem when you go further east," he continued.
"If you're talking about Western Europe - Germany, fine; France, fine; Spain, fine; Greece, fine; Scandinavian countries, fine. But Ukraine? Not so good."
Asked whether he thought racism had ultimately cost the UK the title, he commented: "Well, it doesn't mean that we would necessarily have won that year but we could have come second."
The 2009 contest was won by Norway's Alexander Rybak, who was born in Belarus and sang his own composition, Fairytale.
In actuality, Ewen performed better than some of the UK's other entrants in recent years.
Andy Abraham and Josh Dubovie both came last, in 2008 and 2010 respectively.
This year the 76-year old crooner Engelbert Humperdinck received just 12 points for his song Love Will Set You Free, earning a second-to-last finish.
A BBC spokeswoman said the corporation had "no evidence whatsoever" of any racism around the Eurovision.
"Jade Ewan got to a very respectable fifth place in 2009 when 32 out of 41 countries gave the UK points," she said.
"Jade was given points from 19 Eastern European countries, including Ukraine, in 2009."
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