A prominent judge for the Miss Universe pageant has dramatically resigned just three days before the competition, alleging that a "secret committee" had already pre-selected the finalists.
The Resignation That Shook the Pageant
Composer Omar Harfouch announced his withdrawal from the judging panel on Tuesday through a series of Instagram Stories posts. He expressed deep concerns about the transparency of the selection process for the event scheduled for Friday in Bangkok, Thailand.
Harfouch claimed he discovered through social media that an "impromptu jury" had been asked to choose 30 finalists in advance from the 136 countries participating in the competition. "The results of this selection are currently being kept secret," he stated in one post.
Serious Allegations of Conflict of Interest
The composer alleged that none of the eight official judges were involved in this preliminary selection process. He raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, suggesting the secret committee included individuals with personal relationships with some contestants.
Even more troubling, Harfouch claimed the person responsible for counting votes and managing results was part of this group, creating what he described as "a further conflict of interest."
After attempting to address these transparency issues with Miss Universe officials, Harfouch said they merely posted "a list of names associated with the selection on their Instagram page" without clarifying each person's role.
The Final Straw and Official Response
The situation reached breaking point when Harfouch had what he called a "disrespectful conversation" with Miss Universe CEO Raul Rocha. Following this exchange, the composer made his final decision.
"After having a disrespectful conversation with Raul 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 charade," Harfouch declared. He also confirmed he would not be playing the music he composed for the event.
The Miss Universe Organization quickly responded with an official statement on Instagram, firmly denying all allegations. "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," the statement read.
The organization stated that all competition evaluations continue to follow "established, transparent, and supervised MUO protocols." They acknowledged Harfouch's withdrawal but also prohibited him from using any Miss Universe trademarks or properties in future communications.
The controversy erupts just days before the prestigious international competition, casting a shadow over an event that typically celebrates cultural exchange and female empowerment. The Miss Universe Organization has encouraged the public and media to rely solely on their verified communications while continuing to support the delegates.
