Days before the 74th Miss Universe pageant, two judges have resigned from their positions, putting the event's credibility in jeopardy. Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch took to Instagram to announce his resignation, alleging that an 'impromptu jury' was selected to choose finalists prior to the competition scheduled for November 21 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Shortly after Harfouch’s announcement, French football manager Claude Makélélé also revealed he was stepping down, citing 'unforeseen personal reasons.'
Harfouch claimed that the unauthorized jury, formed outside of the official panel, comprised individuals with potential conflicts of interest regarding their relationships with some contestants. He accused the organization of failing to involve the official jury members in the selection process, sharing his concerns on social media.
The Miss Universe Organization quickly rebuffed Harfouch's allegations, stating that 'no external group has been authorized to evaluate delegates or select finalists.' They implied that Harfouch's comments might reference the consistent efforts of the Beyond the Crown program, which operates independently of the main competition and has its own selection committee.
This scandal follows a series of controversies leading up to the pageant, including an incident where contestants, including Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, walked out of a pre-pageant event after being publicly criticized by Thailand's event director for not posting enough promotional content on social media.
The director later claimed that his remarks were misunderstood, but the outrage prompted a swift response from the Miss Universe Organization, who sent a delegation to oversee the event's management.
As the pageant approaches, the implications of these resignations and the accusations of manipulation continue to raise questions about the integrity of the 74th Miss Universe competition.
