2 Miss Universe judges resign amid scandal ahead of Bangkok final
Two judges resigned from the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, citing concerns over transparency just days before the winner was set to be crowned.
Omar Harfouch, a Lebanese-French composer, shocked fans on Tuesday, November 18, when he announced via Instagram that he was stepping down from the judging panel of this year’s competition, accusing the organisers of running a “charade” lacking in transparency.
Harfouch’s most explosive claim was that a secret panel of judges had already determined which contestants would reach the final, without the official panel’s knowledge.
“An impromptu jury was formed to select 30 finalists out of 136 participants,” he wrote, suggesting some had personal ties to certain contestants.
He said his resignation came after a private conversation with Raul Rocha Cantu, president and co-owner of the Miss Universe Organisation, about what he described as a “lack of transparency in the Miss Universe voting process”.
Just hours later, former French footballer Claude Makélélé also dropped out, announcing on Instagram that he would not attend the pageant due to “unforeseen personal reasons”.
“This was a difficult decision, as I hold Miss Universe in the highest regard,” he said, without referencing Harfouch’s allegations.
The Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) swiftly denied the claims.
“All competition evaluations continue to follow the established, transparent and supervised MUO protocols.”
The organisation accused Harfouch of publicly mischaracterising the programme and said the list of names he cited belonged to a separate social impact initiative, reported Bangkok Post.
It has not commented on Makélélé’s withdrawal.
The scandal comes just weeks after Miss Universe co-owner and Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil caused uproar when he publicly criticised Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, for missing promotional events. His remarks prompted several contestants to briefly walk out in protest. Nawat later issued an apology, and Cantu stepped in to reassure participants, saying he would not tolerate any form of humiliation.
Miss Universe, launched in 1952 by a California swimwear company, has faced declining public interest in recent years, despite efforts to modernise its image. The 74th edition of the contest will conclude tomorrow, November 21, at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi.
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