Just hours after the German press ageny dpa reported that Ich Troje could face disqualification in the German final Countdown Grand Prix after they won the Polish final, the German broadcaster NDR reacted: “Troje will take part in the German final”, as they announced on their website.

This afternoon, German press agency dpa reported that, “according to Eurovision related sources”, Ich Troje could could be relegated from the German final to prevent a double participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 for both Germany and Poland, where they won this Saturday.

NDR states now: “The band 'Ich Troje' will, in any case, perform in the German 'Countdown Grand Prix', even if Eurovision should decide that one artist or band is not allowed to represent two different countries in the Eurovision Song Contest.”

They say furtheron that, in case Ich Troje would win the German final with their song 'Liebe macht Spass' and given that the European Broadcasting Union decides to not allow them to represent both Poland and Germany in Riga, then the band would decide, together with both broadcasters NDR and TVP for which country Ich Troje would prefer to start.

The other country would then be represented by the runner-up of the national final.

Michael Wsiniewski, band leader of Ich Troje, said: “We would like to thank NDR for their support and the possibility to campain for the friendship between Germany and Poland with our song in German television too.”