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The Miss Universe 2025 pageant, set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 21, is facing a wave of controversy just days before the global event.
First, Miss Universe Jamaica, Dr Gabrielle Henry, was taken to hospital after falling from the stage during the evening gown segment of the Miss Universe 2025 preliminary competition in Thailand. The Miss Universe Jamaica Organisation says her injuries are not life-threatening, but doctors at Paolo Rangsit Hospital are running tests to ensure her full recovery and have asked the public for prayers and positive thoughts. Henry, a 28-year-old ophthalmologist and founder of the See Me Foundation for the visually impaired, had recently shared that she felt confident, upbeat, and grateful for the opportunities of the pageant.
Then, what should have been a celebratory, international showcase has instead unraveled into a public dispute over transparency, alleged conflicts of interest, and a staggering series of last-minute resignations from the judging panel.
The backlash intensified after Lebanese composer and businessman Omar Harfouch abruptly resigned from the official judging committee three days before the finals, claiming the competition had been compromised by undisclosed pre-selection processes and personal relationships within the organization. His exit triggered a domino effect — and mounting concerns from contestants and fans alike.
A String of Sudden Withdrawals
Harfouch’s resignation was followed within hours by French soccer legend Claude Makélélé, who announced on Instagram that he would no longer serve as a judge due to “unforeseen personal reasons.” Then, in another blow to pageant leadership, Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, the president of the Miss Universe Selection Committee, pulled out as well — a move Harfouch later confirmed to PEOPLE.
Together, the trio’s departure marks an unprecedented shake-up: three judges gone in less than 48 hours and fewer than three days before the internationally televised event.
The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) has not commented on the princess’s or Makélélé’s decisions, and the absence of additional clarification has only deepened speculation.
Omar Harfouch’s Explosive Allegations
Harfouch’s accusations began circulating through a series of Instagram Stories, where he claimed MUO had formed an “impromptu jury” that privately selected the Top 30 finalists before the 136 delegates even stepped onto the stage for the preliminary round.
According to Harfouch, when he confronted MUO officials — including Miss Universe owner Raul Rocha — his concerns were dismissed.
“He ignored me,” Harfouch told PEOPLE. “He said, ‘This is nothing, Omar. Everything will be well, you’ll judge. You’ll see.’”
What Harfouch insists he “saw” was something very different. He alleged that the unofficial group responsible for pre-selecting semifinalists included individuals with personal relationships with certain contestants, including one person he claims is involved in “an affair” with a competitor.
He also claimed that someone tied to the alleged pre-selection was responsible for counting votes and managing results — a combination he called a “significant potential conflict of interest.”
The composer, who spent three months creating original music for the show, said he could not participate in what he described as a “fake situation.”
“The girls believe we are going to decide,” he said. “But in reality, we’ll do a fake situation. Their families are here. They pay for the hotel, they pay for everything. Their destiny should not be manipulated.”
Harfouch confirmed he will not be performing any of the music he composed for the event.
MUO Strongly Denies Allegations
Late on Nov. 18, MUO issued a public statement rejecting Harfouch’s claims as mischaracterizations.
“No impromptu jury has been created,” the statement read. “No external group has been authorized to evaluate delegates or select finalists, and all competition evaluations continue to follow the established, transparent, and supervised MUO protocols.”
The organization added that, given Harfouch’s “expressed confusion” and desire to withdraw, it “acknowledges his resignation.”
Shortly before Harfouch’s comments gained traction, MUO shared a carousel post introducing members of its “Beyond the Crown Selection Committee”, though it did not clarify their responsibilities — something Harfouch said only fueled his concerns.
“They are not judges,” he argued. “They called them ‘selection committee,’ but selection of what? Nobody knows.”
Contestants React: “Heartbreaking”
While speculation was already spreading online, the impact on participants became unmistakably clear when one anonymous contestant told PEOPLE that learning about the rumored pre-selection was “heartbreaking.”
She said the news reached competitors through social media, not from MUO, and she alleged that some contestants believed to be in the pre-selected Top 30 had personal ties to people within the organization.
“Many contestants in this pre-picked top 30 list violate conflict-of-interest rules,” she said.
“We thank Omar Harfouch for standing up for integrity when the organization would not.”
She and fellow delegates had just finished their final rehearsal for the preliminary show when whispers of the controversy began to spread backstage.
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