Two Judges Exit Miss Universe Amid Selection Controversy

Bangkok, Thailand: Just days before the annual Miss Universe pageant, the global beauty community is in shock as two prominent judges have announced their resignations. Lebanese-French artist Omar Harfouch and renowned French football coach Claude Makélélé departed amidst claims of unjust practices in selecting finalists.

Harfouch took to Instagram to explain that an “impromptu jury” prematurely selected the 30 finalists out of 136 competitors without the input of the official eight-member judging panel. He raised alarms about possible conflicts of interest, pointing out that certain members of this unofficial group had personal connections to some participants.

Shortly thereafter, Makélélé mentioned “unforeseen personal reasons” for stepping down, reiterating that this was a challenging choice but affirming his respect for the Miss Universe platform.

This situation follows a recent uproar at a pre-pageant event where several contestants walked out after Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil publicly criticized Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, for failing to share promotional material on her social media. The incident went viral, resulting in widespread backlash and a strong response from the Miss Universe Organisation.

In light of Harfouch’s assertions, the Miss Universe Organisation clarified that no unauthorized jury has been sanctioned to evaluate delegates or determine finalists. Officials indicated that Harfouch may have misconstrued the Beyond the Crown program, a separate social impact initiative with its own selection committee, which is unrelated to the judging process for the competition.

These events have heightened scrutiny regarding transparency within the pageant, stirring concerns about fairness and credibility just prior to the highly anticipated finale in Thailand. Contestants, enthusiasts, and global media are now closely monitoring how the organization navigates the final stages of the contest to uphold integrity and impartiality.

As the pageant nears, organizers are under increasing pressure to embody the values of empowerment, diversity, and excellence characteristic of Miss Universe while tackling allegations of favoritism and conflicts of interest. All eyes are on the competition to see if it can remain credible amid these extraordinary controversies.