Two judges resign from Miss Universe 2025 ahead of the pageant in Thailand
Three days before the Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Thailand, two of the judges tasked with helping crown this year’s queen have resigned.
Franco-Lebanese businessman and composer, Omar Harfouch resigned as judge stating on social media that there was a “lack of transparency” in selecting the 30 finalists, who were chosen by an “impromptu jury” that did not include the eight official judges.
The second to resign as judge was former French footballer Claude Makélélé, who said on social media he could not attend Miss Universe 2025 due to “unforeseen personal reasons.”
“It was a difficult decision, as I hold Miss Universe in the highest regard,” Makélélé said, while apologizing to the Miss Universe organization and the contestants. “The platform represents empowerment, diversity and excellence—values I have always stood for throughout my career.”
Who is judging Miss Universe?
After the two departures, the panel of judges will be composed of Mexican Andrea Meza, Miss Universe 2020 who has worked since 2021 as a host on Telemundo; Venezuelan model, actress and influencer Sharon Fonseca, partner of Italian entrepreneur Gianluca Vacchi; Miami-based Cuban broadcaster, writer and speaker Ismael Cala; Brazilian painter Romero Britto; and Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal.
Harfouch's reasons for stepping down included the suspicion that the unofficial panel was made up of people that could potentially have a “conflict of interest due to personal relationships with some Miss Universe contestants.”
“After having a disrespectful conversation with [Miss Universe president] Raúl Rocha about the lack of transparency in the Miss Universe voting process, I decided to resign from the jury and refuse to be part of this farce,” Harfouch concluded. “I will also not perform the music composed for the event.”
The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) issued a clarification in response to Harfouch’s allegations of a lack of transparency.
“All evaluation procedures for the 74th edition of the Miss Universe pageant remain official, transparent and are fully governed by MUO protocols,” it posted on social media.
MUO suggested that the “impromptu jury” Harfouch referred to may have been related to Beyond the Crown, a program aimed at promoting social causes that operates independently and has its own selection committee.
Controversy at Miss Universe
This year Miss Universe has been rocked by controversy, which erupted on Nov. 3 when several contestants walked out of a meeting in protest over Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil's disrespectful treatment of Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch.
Nawat, president of Miss Universe Thailand and regional leader of the organization, reportedly yelled at Bosch and called her “stupid” for missing a sponsor photoshoot. When fellow contestants stormed out of the meeting in support of Bosch, Nawat threatened to call security and expel those who did not follow his instructions.
The incident made Bosch a symbol of female empowerment, one of the pageant’s purported aims. “We are empowered women and this is a platform to give us a voice, and no one can silence our voice,” Miss Universe Mexico told the press.
Now the contest heads into the highly anticipated competitive moments, like the national costume parade and the evening gown runway, which can be watched on the Miss Universe organization's YouTube channel.
The Miss Universe final gala will air in the United States on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. on Telemundo and the Peacock streaming service.
