A major diplomatic and public relations crisis has engulfed Finland following a controversial photograph of its Miss Universe 2025 representative, which led to her losing her title and prompted a formal apology from the Prime Minister to Asian nations.
From Crown to Controversy: The Photo That Went Viral
The furore began in late November 2025 when a photo of Sarah Dzafce, who was crowned Miss Finland in September, went viral on social media. The image showed Dzafce pulling the skin at the corners of her eyes in a gesture widely condemned as a racist caricature of Asian people. The post was captioned "eating with a Chinese", intensifying the backlash.
Dzafce, who lost her Miss Finland crown last week, told Finnish media her actions were an attempt to alleviate a headache. She claimed a friend shared the private image and wrote the offensive caption without her consent. On 8 December 2025, she posted a public apology on social media, stating the title was a responsibility and she was sorry for causing hurt.
The Miss Finland Organisation acted decisively, revoking her status. "Racism is never acceptable in any form," the organisation stated, expressing deep regret for the harm caused, particularly to the Asian community.
Political Escalation and International Fallout
The scandal intensified when several far-right politicians from Finland's ruling coalition rallied behind Dzafce. In a show of support, they posted their own images online replicating the eye-pulling gesture, further inflaming the situation.
The backlash spread rapidly across Asia, leading Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to issue formal apologies in multiple languages via Finnish embassy social media accounts. In statements directed at countries including Japan and South Korea, Orpo stressed that the politicians' posts "do not reflect Finland’s values of equality and inclusion." He emphasised that racism has no place in Finnish society and that the government takes the issue seriously.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Minoru Kihara, confirmed the government had expressed its concerns to the Finnish embassy in Tokyo and welcomed Orpo's apology. The incident has also sparked calls on social media platform X for a boycott of travel to Finland and its national airline, Finnair.
Economic and Reputational Repercussions
The fallout has extended beyond diplomacy into the economic sphere. Päivyt Tallqvist, Finnair's Senior Vice President of Communications, confirmed to broadcaster Yle that the scandal had negatively impacted the airline's international operations, though specific details were not disclosed. This is a significant concern for a nation where tourism from Asia is a major industry.
The episode, blending a beauty pageant scandal with inappropriate political posturing, has forced a national reckoning on racism and damaged Finland's carefully cultivated image of tolerance on the global stage. The government's swift apology underscores the serious diplomatic and commercial stakes involved.
