Middle America’s beauty pageant, Miss Universe, has been in turmoil since the recent events unfolding in Thailand. The 2025 competition has already seen two judges resign, raising serious questions about the integrity of the pageant process. Among these, one of the judges claimed that the pageant had been rigged, as a secret vote had been carried out by non-official members to select the 30 contestants out of 136 contestants. This has led to further uncertainty, with another judge, Omar Harfouch, resigning from the judging panel, citing the secret vote as the reason for his resignation. The Miss Universe Organization has swiftly denied these allegations, stating that all procedures followed were official and transparent.
A significant incident occurred during the evening gown round when the contestant from Jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, fell off the stage. The incident was captured on camera, showing her walking along the stage in a sequined orange dress before falling off the main stage. She was immediately rushed to the Paolo Rangsit Hospital, where she underwent medical evaluation and was said to be recovering well with no life-threatening injuries, according to the Miss Universe pageant president, Raul Rocha. He was present at the hospital and provided support to Henry and her family during the aftermath of the incident.
The resignation of Omar Harfouch has raised further concerns, as he argued that the selection process was not transparent and that the decision to eliminate certain countries could have had geopolitical implications. He stated that he could not stand before the cameras and legitimize a process he had not participated in. Meanwhile, the Miss Universe Organization reiterated its position, asserting that all processes were in accordance with its protocols and that no unauthorized jury had been formed. Additionally, another judge, former French soccer player Claude Makélélé, also resigned, citing unforeseen personal reasons, further complicating the situation.
The final day of the competition is set for November 21, and the events have sparked a significant amount of public interest and scrutiny. The incidents involving both the fall of the contestant and the resignations of the judges have highlighted the challenges and controversies surrounding the Miss Universe pageant, raising larger questions about the organization’s handling of its responsibilities and the potential for integrity issues within the competition process.