2 Miss Universe judges resign amid allegations of selection controversy

Two judges from the upcoming Miss Universe pageant have resigned just days before the event, with one claiming the selection process has been rigged. Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch announced his departure from the eight-member jury via Instagram, alleging that an "impromptu jury" had pre-selected finalists without the official jurors' involvement. The pageant is set to take place this Friday in Thailand.

Shortly after Harfouch's announcement, French football manager Claude Makélélé also revealed his resignation, citing "unforeseen personal reasons." Their resignations follow a recent incident where several contestants walked out of a pre-pageant event due to controversial remarks made by the event’s Thai director.

Harfouch claimed that the unofficial jury included individuals with potential conflicts of interest, as they had personal relationships with some contestants. He did not provide details on how this jury would operate or how it could override the official jury's decisions.

In response, the Miss Universe Organisation issued a statement refuting Harfouch's claims, asserting that "no external group has been authorised to evaluate delegates or select finalists." They suggested Harfouch might have confused this with the Beyond the Crown program, a separate initiative that operates independently and has its own selection committee.

Makélélé described his resignation as a "difficult decision," expressing his respect for the Miss Universe platform and its values of empowerment, diversity, and excellence.

The pageant has faced criticism recently after Thailand’s director, Nawat Itsaragrisil, publicly criticized Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, at a pre-pageant event for not promoting the event on social media. Videos of the incident showed Bosch and other contestants walking out while expressing their discontent. Although Nawat claimed his comments were misunderstood, the backlash resulted in a stern admonition from the Miss Universe Organisation, which has since sent a team of international executives to oversee the competition.