Two Judges Resign Amid Allegations of Rigging at Miss Universe Pageant
Two judges on the Miss Universe panel have resigned just days before the pageant’s final in Thailand. One judge, Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, accused organizers of rigging the judging process by pre-selecting finalists without the official jury’s input.
Mr. Harfouch announced his resignation on Instagram, claiming an “impromptu jury” chose 30 finalists from 136 contestants. He said this unofficial group included individuals with potential conflicts of interest related to some contestants. He also revealed that none of the eight official judges, including himself, were involved in this process.
Shortly after, French football manager Claude Makélélé confirmed his withdrawal, citing “unforeseen personal reasons.” Though Makélélé did not expand on the matter, his resignation followed soon after Harfouch’s public allegations.
These developments come amid recent tensions at the pageant, following a controversial incident involving the host country’s director. Two weeks prior, several contestants staged a walkout during a pre-pageant event. This occurred after Nawat Itsaragrisil, the Thai director, berated Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, for failing to post promotional content on her social media.
Videos of the event circulated widely, showing upset contestants leaving and expressing anger toward Mr. Nawat. Although Mr. Nawat later said his remarks were misunderstood, the Miss Universe Organization publicly reprimanded him. The organization dispatched an international executive team to oversee the competition to restore order.
In response to the judge’s claims, the Miss Universe Organization denied any unauthorized group’s involvement in selecting finalists. They suggested that Mr. Harfouch may have confused the official panel with the “Beyond the Crown” program. This initiative operates separately with its own committee and focuses on social impact rather than judging the pageant’s outcome.
The organization released a statement emphasizing that no external jury has the authority to evaluate delegates or finalize the contestant roster. They also stated that Mr. Harfouch’s description of the Beyond the Crown program was a mischaracterization.
Mr. Makélélé praised Miss Universe’s principles of empowerment, diversity, and excellence in his resignation message. Despite stepping down, he expressed respect for the platform and its core values that he has supported in his career.
The Miss Universe pageant continues to face scrutiny over fairness and management transparency. These resignations highlight ongoing challenges in maintaining credibility in one of the world’s most prominent beauty contests. The final event in Thailand proceeds under heightened attention from fans and officials alike.
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