In a dramatic development just three days before the prestigious Miss Universe competition, one of its official judges has resigned amidst explosive allegations of a 'secret committee' pre-selecting finalists.
Judge's Explosive Allegations
Composer Omar Harfouch announced his withdrawal from the judging panel on Tuesday through a series of Instagram Stories that sent shockwaves through the pageant world. 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 event scheduled for Friday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The composer expressed deep concern about the lack of transparency, stating that none of the eight official judges were involved in this alleged preliminary selection process. He further asserted that the secret jury included individuals with 'significant potential conflict of interest' due to personal relationships with some contestants.
'The results of this selection are currently being kept secret,' Harfouch revealed in his social media posts, adding that the person responsible for counting votes and managing results was also involved, creating what he described as an additional conflict of interest.
Failed Attempts at Resolution
Harfouch explained that he had raised his concerns directly with Miss Universe officials about the opaque selection process. Following his intervention, the organisation reportedly posted 'a list of names associated with the selection on their Instagram page' but failed to clarify each person's specific role in the process.
The situation reached breaking point when Harfouch had what he characterised as a 'disrespectful conversation' with Miss Universe CEO Raul Rocha. In his final Instagram statement, the composer declared: '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.'
Adding to the drama, Harfouch confirmed he would not be playing the music he composed for the event, withdrawing his creative contribution alongside his judging responsibilities.
Miss Universe Organisation Fights Back
The Miss Universe Organisation responded swiftly with an official statement posted on its Instagram account, firmly denying all of Harfouch's allegations. 'The Miss Universe Organization firmly clarifies that no impromptu jury has been created,' the statement read, '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 organisation attributed Harfouch's withdrawal to his 'expressed confusion' and 'public mischaracterization of the program', while simultaneously issuing a stern warning. They announced that the composer was no longer permitted to 'display, reference, or associate himself with any Miss Universe trademarks, service marks, logos, titles, or registered properties' in any format or communication.
In their concluding remarks, Miss Universe officials encouraged 'the public, media outlets, and fans worldwide to rely solely on verified MUO communications' and to continue supporting the delegates whose qualities reflect the competition's true values.
The Independent has reached out to Miss Universe officials for additional comment as the controversy continues to unfold just days before the glittering final ceremony in Bangkok.
