Miss Universe Judges Resign, Say It’s Rigged!

The Miss Universe pageant is facing mounting controversy after two judges resigned just days before the competition, which is scheduled to take place on Friday in Thailand. One of them, Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, has accused organisers of rigging the selection process.

Omar Harfouch announced his exit on Instagram, claiming an “impromptu jury” had already chosen 30 finalists without the official panel’s knowledge. He claimed the group included people with possible personal connections to some contestants.

The Miss Universe Organisation quickly pushed back against Harfouch’s claims. In a statement, it insisted that no outside group had been authorised to evaluate contestants or select finalists. It said he may have been referring to Beyond the Crown, a separate social impact programme with its own independent selection committee.

Within the same day, French football manager Claude Makélélé also withdrew, citing personal reasons while expressing respect for the pageant.

The resignations follow a recent incident in Thailand, where several contestants walked out of a pre-pageant event after Thailand’s national director publicly criticised Miss Mexico for not posting promotional content. The incident prompted organisers to send international executives to oversee the event.

With the finals approaching, Miss Universe officials say preparations remain on track despite the recent concerns.