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NEED TO KNOW
An anonymous Miss Universe contestant is speaking out after Omar Harfouch announced his resignation from the selection committee
Harfouch claimed that the top 30 were selected by an "impromptu jury" before the contestants even took the stage. The Miss Universe Organization denied his claims in a statement
Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the pageant on Nov. 21, one contestant applauds Harfouch and questions the pageant's alleged actions
AMiss Universecontestant is responding to bombshell claims about the pageant's allegedly unsanctioned selection process.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, musicianOmar Harfouchannounced that he was resigning from the international pageant's judging panel just three days before it's set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand. In several posts tohis Instagram Stories, Harfouch claimed that the Miss Universe Organization formed an "impromptu jury" to choose 30 finalists before participants from 136 countries even took the stage for the preliminary round.
He also 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."
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One contestant — who has asked to remain anonymous — tells PEOPLE that rumors of the covert top 30 selection are "heartbreaking" to learn.
"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," the contestant says. "Many contestants in this pre-picked top 30 list violate conflict of interest through personal relationships to people of the organization."
The 2025 pageant contender continues, "This revelation came moments after we stepped off stage from our final rehearsal for tomorrow's preliminaries. It is heartbreaking."
"So many contestants have sacrificed their personal lives, left their jobs, and spent a year preparing for this moment. Some of us have fallen ill, been hospitalized, or pushed through exhaustion while receiving only three to four hours of sleep each night," she adds. "We did this because we believed in the integrity of this organization and the mission they told us they stood for."
"How can you preach 'The Power of Love' while operating in secrecy?" the contestant tells PEOPLE, referencing the theme of this year's Miss Universe competition. "How can you demand excellence from women who have given everything, when transparency isn't given in return? One of the missions of the organization is fighting for equality, but how can you fight for equality when we are not equal?"
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The Miss Universe hopeful states that she and her fellow contestants came to Thailand "ready to give the Miss Universe Organization our full hearts. The truth revealed they have not given us the same respect. If the organization wants to stand for empowerment, then honesty, fairness, and accountability must come before crowns and cameras," she says.In conclusion, the contestant expressed gratitude for the musician's willingness to speak out. "We thank Omar Harfouch for standing up for integrity when the organization would not," she concludes. "He showed the very leadership Miss Universe claims to celebrate."
The Miss Universe Organization has not yet responded to PEOPLE's request for comment.
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The pageant didpost a public statementresponding to Harfouch's claims on its official Instagram page.
The pageant refuted the claims Harfouch shared on his Stories. "The Miss Universe Organization firmly clarifies that no impromptu jury has been created, that no external group has been authorized to evaluate delegates or select finalists, and that all competition evaluations continue to follow the established, transparent, and supervised MUO protocols," the statement read.
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"Given [Mr. Harfouch's] expressed confusion, his public mischaracterization of the program, and his stated desire not to participate, the Miss Universe Organization respectfully acknowledges his withdrawal from the official judging panel," the pageant wrote.
The statement concluded, "The Miss Universe Organization encourages the public, media outlets, and fans worldwide to rely solely on verified MUO communications and to continue supporting the delegates whose leadership, service, and dedication reflect the true values of Miss Universe," the pageant concluded in its response.
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