In a dramatic turn of events, two judges have resigned from the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, amid accusations of rigging in the selection process. Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch took to Instagram to allege that an 'impromptu jury' had pre-selected finalists without the involvement of the official judging panel, which is set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 21.
Following Harfouch's announcement, French football manager Claude Makélélé also confirmed his withdrawal from the jury, citing 'unforeseen personal reasons'. These resignations come on the heels of a tumultuous pre-pageant event where several contestants walked out in protest against comments made by a pageant official from Thailand.
In his resignation post, Harfouch claimed that the unofficial jury consisted of individuals with potential conflicts of interest linked to some contestants. He expressed concern about fairness and integrity in the selection of contestants.
The Miss Universe Organisation quickly responded, denying any allegations of external groups influencing the selection process. They stated that Harfouch's comments may have been a misinterpretation of the recent Beyond the Crown program, which operates independently.
This year's Miss Universe pageant has faced scrutiny, particularly following an incident where the Thailand director publicly reprimanded Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, for lack of promotional engagement. The ensuing backlash prompted significant organizational changes as the Miss Universe Organisation sent executives to manage the event directly.
