text: Artist eligibility and performances The rules for the first contest specified that only solo performers were permitted to enter; this criterion was changed the following year to permit duos to compete, and groups were subsequently permitted for the first time in . Currently the number of people permitted on stage during competing performances is limited to a maximum of six, and no live animals are allowed. Since , all contestants must be aged 16 or over on the day of the live show in which they perform. Sandra Kim, the winner in  at the age of 13, shall remain the contest's youngest winner while this rule remains in place. There is no limit on the nationality or country of birth of the competing artists, and participating broadcasters are free to select an artist from any country; several winning artists have subsequently held a different nationality or were born in a different country to that which they represented. No performer may compete for more than one country in a given year. There is no restriction regarding performers who have participated in past events competing again – whether for the same country or a different one. It is even possible for a winning performer to try and defend their title in the next edition as happened when 2010 winner Lena competed again in 2011. However, in the history of the contest only two individuals have won more than once as a performer — Johnny Logan in 1980 and 1987 for Ireland and Loreen in 2012 and 2023 for Sweden.