Miss Universe 2025 controversy explained: Judge quits claiming pageant is rigged, jury member had affair with contestant | Fashion Trends
Another day, another Miss Universe 2025 controversy: Omar Harfouch, a judge and composer who created music for the event, announced his resignation just three days before the Miss Universe 2025 final competition in Bangkok, Thailand. In a series on Instagram Stories and posts, he alleged that a ‘secret committee’ or ‘impromptu jury’ had already selected the top 30 finalists of Miss Universe 2025 before the contestants even participated in the preliminary rounds. Also read | Miss Universe 2025 drama: Thai director issues apology after calling Miss Mexico ‘dummy,’ sparking contestant walkout
Here is a breakdown of the controversy involving former Miss Universe 2025 judge Omar Harfouch and The Miss Universe Organization’s reaction. (Instagram/ omarharfouch and Missuniverse.com)
Miss Universe judge resigns, says top 30 ‘pre-selected’ by ‘impromptu jury’
Omar also shared this unofficial judging panel was ‘composed of individuals with a significant potential conflict of interest’. He further elaborated that the ‘significant potential conflict of interest’ included an alleged affair between a selection committee member and one of the contestants.
According to a November 18 report by People, Omar alleged that the unofficial judging panel is “composed of individuals with a significant potential conflict of interest due to some [personal] relationships with some of the Miss Universe contestants, including the person responsible for counting the votes and managing the results, which constitutes a further conflict of interest.” He reportedly stated that he resigned after a “disrespectful conversation” with Miss Universe owner Raul Rocha about the lack of transparency in the voting process.
Omar told People that he and his fellow judges were going to have to choose between the top 30, previously selected by the alleged clandestine jury. He said: “We are eight judges supposed to come and to choose only between 30 contestants and not 136. I signed, when I signed my contract as a judge, it was to judge everyone. Maybe it’s normal for the people who only want to be on TV or they are happy to be a judge, but I cannot. Because, I mean, I cannot play with the destiny of young girls.”
Miss Universe contestant says she’s ‘heartbroken’ amid these claims
An anonymous Miss Universe contestant corroborated the Omar’s claims, telling People in a November 18 interview that rumours of the pre-selection were ‘heartbreaking’ and that many contestants believed the pre-picked list violated conflict of interest rules due to personal relationships within the organisation. The contestant also thanked Omar for ‘standing up for integrity’.
She told the portal: “Tonight, after walking off the rehearsals stage, many of us learned through social media, not the Miss Universe Organization, that the preliminary selection for the Top 30 was not only conducted without the presence of the official judges, but before we’ve even competed on stage. Many contestants in this pre-picked top 30 list violate conflict of interest through personal relationships to people of the organization. This revelation came moments after we stepped off stage from our final rehearsal for tomorrow’s preliminaries. It is heartbreaking.”
She added: “We thank Omar Harfouch for standing up for integrity when the organization would not. He showed the very leadership Miss Universe claims to celebrate.”
The Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) responds
On November 18, the Miss Universe Organisation posted a statement on Instagram to refute Omar’s claims. The organisation publicly denied all of Omar’s allegations and took firm action against him: in a rare and strong move, the organisation publicly banned Omar from any future association with the brand.
Their statement prohibited him from “using, displaying, referencing, or associating himself with any Miss Universe trademarks, service marks, logos, titles, or registered properties, in any format, medium, or communication, whether digital, written, or verbal.”
“The Miss Universe Organisation firmly clarifies that no impromptu jury has been created, that no external group has been authorised to evaluate delegates or select finalists, and that all competition evaluations continue to follow the established, transparent, and supervised MUO protocols,” a part of their statement read.
It added: “Given [Mr Harfouch’s] expressed confusion, his public mischaracterisation of the program, and his stated desire not to participate, the Miss Universe Organisation respectfully acknowledges his withdrawal from the official judging panel.”
Miss Universe 2025 ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 21, 2025, at the Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand. Miss India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma, a 22-year-old from Rajasthan, will represent India in this event. You can watch the live on the official Miss Universe YouTube channel at 6:30 am IST. Click here for all the details.
