Resigned Miss Universe Judge Claims Pageant Owner Made ‘It Clear’ Official Jurors Were ‘Only Symbolic’ in Voting Process

A former Miss Universe judge has raised serious allegations about the voting process in the prestigious pageant. Omar Harfouch claimed that the competition was “rigged” and accused the organisers of using a secret panel to pre-select finalists, bypassing the official judges. Harfouch’s sudden withdrawal from the competition just three days before the finale in Bangkok has sparked controversy and raised questions about the transparency of the selection process. The composer expressed his concerns on social media, highlighting the potential conflicts of interest that the unofficial judging panel may have had.

According to Harfouch, the secret selection committee allegedly made decisive choices, including pre-selecting 30 contestants, before the official judges had even arrived. This revelation has stirred up a storm of controversy, with Harfouch emphasising the detrimental impact such manipulations could have on contestants who invest heavily in the competition. The Miss Universe Organization, however, has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that all evaluations followed established and transparent protocols. The Organisation clarified that no impromptu jury had been created and that all competition evaluations were conducted according to the official guidelines.

In response to the accusations made by Harfouch, the Miss Universe Organization released a statement addressing the inaccuracies surrounding the selection process. The Organisation refuted claims of a secret panel and defended the integrity of the official judging procedures. Despite these assurances, Harfouch remained steadfast in his claims of a rigged voting process, citing a lack of transparency and fair play. In a conversation with a UK newspaper, he condemned the alleged manipulation and secrecy surrounding the selection of finalists, emphasising the unfair disadvantage it posed to contestants, many of whom come from humble backgrounds.

Harfouch’s decision to speak out against the purported irregularities in the competition led to his resignation as a judge. He expressed disappointment with the Miss Universe president, Raul Rocha, over the lack of transparency and integrity in the judging process. The former judge called for a restart of the selection process with full transparency, but his proposal was met with hostility, reinforcing his belief that the official judges’ role was merely symbolic. The growing controversy surrounding the Miss Universe voting process has also seen other judges, including French soccer manager Claude Makélélé and Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, resign from their positions in solidarity with Harfouch.

Despite the turmoil and allegations of misconduct, the Miss Universe pageant went ahead as scheduled, culminating in the crowning of Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, as the winner of Miss Universe 2025. The victory comes after a dramatic incident involving Bosch and a pageant executive that went viral, showcasing the challenges and controversies that surrounded this year’s competition. As Miss Universe celebrates its new titleholder, the fallout from the judging scandal continues to reverberate within the pageant community, raising important questions about fairness, transparency, and integrity in beauty pageants. Time will tell how these revelations impact the future of Miss Universe and other similar competitions worldwide.