The Miss Universe pageant, traditionally a showcase of beauty and talent, has been overshadowed by a series of scandals this year, casting a shadow over the event’s reputation.

In a turbulent turn of events, several contestants and judges have resigned, an executive was removed over accusations of derogatory remarks, and a co-owner is facing legal troubles with an arrest warrant.

The most significant controversy arose when Brigitta Schaback from Estonia and Olivia Yace from Côte d’Ivoire relinquished their titles. Both cited a misalignment with the pageant’s values, leaving many fans speculating about the underlying issues.

Adding to the turmoil, President Raúl Rocha is reportedly considering selling his stake in the pageant. This decision follows Yace’s resignation, which was allegedly prompted by remarks made by Rocha.

The November 21 event, marred by these controversies, has sparked discussions about the pageant’s sustainability. Experts have expressed concerns to the Daily Mail, warning that without substantial reforms, the future of Miss Universe hangs in the balance.

“Women don’t abandon dream opportunities unless there’s a significant problem,” stated Lauren Taylor, a public relations expert for numerous beauty queens, in an interview with the Daily Mail.

Cherelle Mukoko, who has previously won Miss Jamaica UK and Miss Universe London, agreed, telling the Daily Mail: ‘Moments like these can impact how people view the brand’s longevity and stability. 

‘I do think this edition of the competition will go down in history, and not necessarily for the reasons the organization would have hoped.’

Here, the Daily Mail takes a deep-dive into all the scandals plaguing the 2025 Miss Universe competition, and what the future of the once-prestigious pageant might be. 

Two Contestants Step Down 

Schaback was the first to step down, posting the official announcement on her Instagram on November 23. 

She cited her differences with National Director Natalie Korneitsik as her reason for parting. 

A day later, Yace, who held the title for Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, said she would also be stepping away from her role. She ultimately placed fourth in the competition and many believe she should have been the winner. 

‘To fully reach my potential, I must remain firmly anchored in my values [and] guiding principles that pave the way toward excellence,’ she wrote on Instagram on November 24. 

On Tuesday, Rocha took to a livestream seemingly to discuss why Yace didn’t win, citing visa complications as she would need 175 visas to travel around as Miss Universe. 

He allegedly said she would have had to reign from her apartment as her travel access would have limited.  

‘With the visa restrictions her passport presents, it would have been extremely challenging for her to meet the demands of the role,’ he allegedly said, according to PrimeTimer.  

Miss Guadeloupe 2018, Ophély Mézino, questioned if Rocha had only let Yace compete to make the competition diverse. 

‘Did you steal the money of my Afro-Caribbean girls? Did you let them compete knowing they would never win this competition? Did you let them participate just to speak about diversity and inclusion?’ she wrote on an Instagram Story. 

Mukoko, and pageant fans alike were left wondering ‘why’ titleholders would walk away after such fierce competition.    

‘One or two isolated cases over a long period might not be damaging, but when multiple women begin giving up what many would consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it definitely becomes concerning,’ Mukoko told the Daily Mail. 

‘In pageantry, a crown represents trust – trust in the organization, in the mission, and in the experience promised to the contestants. So when women voluntarily walk away, it signals that something isn’t aligning behind the scenes.’ 

Mukoko has never relinquished a title, but is sympathetic toward Yace and Schaback as she has a ‘few [titles] I choose not to use anymore because I no longer feel the direction of the organization reflects my values’.

Contestants Walkout Over Alleged ‘Name Calling’ 

Nawat Itsaragrisil, 60, was dismissed as an executive at the pageant after he confronted Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, who ultimately won the 2025 Miss Universe pageant.

In a now-viral livestream, Itsaragrisil called her out in front of an entire room of contestants for skipping a sponsorship photoshoot the day before. 

‘Mexico, where are you? I heard you’re not going to support everything about Thailand. Is that true?’ he said, before allegedly going on to call her a ‘dummy.’

The moment sparked a walkout, with many of the women leaving after his harsh comments. 

For his part, Itsaragrisil denied calling Bosch a ‘dummy,’ he told the Daily Mail. 

‘I have already apologized for my part. However, neither the contestant involved nor MUO [Miss Universe Organization] has taken any responsibility – including for falsely accusing me of calling someone a “dumbhead,” when what I actually said was “damage,”‘ he told the Daily Mail. 

‘They used the situation to their advantage. Some individuals, together with certain MUO executives, are trying to use that incident to portray themselves as victims and to claim legitimacy for winning.’ 

As for the contestants stepping down, he doesn’t believe his role had anything to do with it, saying: ‘The recent issues arose from MUO, Mr. Raúl Rocha, and the contest results that clearly went against global public sentiment.’ 

Rocha announced after the incident that Itsaragrisil would be booted from the competition and hit with several sanctions. 

Two Judges Step Down Over Alleged Rigging 

Lebanese-French businessman, Omar Harfouch, and French soccer star, Claude Makélélé, both stepped down as judges days before the pageant. 

Makélélé did not provide a reason for his departure. 

Harfouch, however, claimed Rocha ‘personally asked’ him a week before the finale and encouraged him not to vote for certain countries, including ‘all African nations, several Asian countries (including Lebanon), and some European nations, like Russia, Belarus, and Serbia – claiming they would face difficulties obtaining visas,’ he wrote on Instagram. 

‘As for me, Omar Harfouch, I consider the exclusion of Miss Côte d’Ivoire [Yace] from the crown solely because she might face visa issues – and more importantly, because she is African – not only discriminatory, but purely racist. 

‘He [Rocha] also added that I should remember that Miss Universe 2025 would be traveling with him on his private jet for the entire year.’ 

In a separate post, he claimed Rocha ‘illegally and unjustly’ eliminated 106 countries from the competition. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Miss Universe for comment. 

Controversial President Wants to Sell Stake 

Rocha owns a 50 percent share in the Miss Universe pageant, but it looks like he’s now trying to offload it in the wake of the scandals.

He told Mexican journalist Adela Micha that he is ‘looking for someone to pass [his stake] on to.’ 

‘It’s just that I’m so fed up. I’m so fed up with all the talk. I don’t lend myself to that kind of thing,’ he told Micha. ‘Everyone wants to have an opinion.’ 

Rocha has only been the president since January 2024. He became the co-owner of the pageant after Jakkaphong ‘Anne’ Jakrajutatip sold his company a 50 percent stake in 2023. 

Transgender Co-Owner has Arrest Warrant Issued 

Jakrajutatip, who bought the pageant for $20million in 2022, previously had an arrest warrant out for her in her home country of Thailand after she failed to show up to court for an unrelated fraud case. 

The transgender businesswoman was labeled a flight risk and did not appear at  this year’s Miss Universe competition, which was held in Bangkok, the same city her court case is being held in. 

Contestant Injured on Stage

Miss Jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, was rushed to the hospital after falling off the stage during the preliminary round of the pageant. 

She had to be carried away on a stretcher, but did not sustain life-threatening injuries.  

The Future of the Miss Universe Pageant

As Miss Universe is in the middle of dealing with a multitude of scandals, the future of the once-decorated, must-watch pageant is now in question. 

Mukoko can see the pageant dwindling in relevancy and warns it could disappear entirely if serious internal changes aren’t taken.  

‘Honestly, I do think there could be a decline if meaningful changes aren’t made,’ Mukoko told the Daily Mail. 

‘I believe the biggest issue is that some pageants simply aren’t putting the women first. There’s often a disconnect between what is promised and what is actually delivered.

‘Whether Miss Universe will still be thriving in a decade really depends on the work done now, rebuilding trust, prioritizing integrity, and ensuring that empowerment is more than a slogan. If those steps are taken, I believe these pageants can evolve and remain relevant for future generations.

‘When the women feel valued and protected, the entire industry becomes stronger.’

LaToya Evans, who worked with late Miss USA winner Cheslie Kryst, agreed that the ‘world of pageantry has dramatically changed over the years’.

‘Contestants have become more vocal and the culture around both women and pageants have changed,’ she told the Daily Mail.  

Contestants from decades prior were ‘heavily influenced by established pageant owners and committees,’ whereas nowadays, participants can build their own platform on social media, she said. 

‘Ultimately, the world of small town young women only being discovered because of a beauty contest that allowed them to leave their hometown for the very first time is long gone,’ she said. 

‘These days, if you find a young woman in a pageant, they also genuinely enjoy competing and love the experience they get from it, not because they are looking to catapult to stardom.’ 

Evans also said contestants are also choosing themselves as they are more aware of the toll it takes to be on top. 

Taylor agreed, she added: ‘Pageantry is at a crossroads. It can either double down on outdated practices, or rebrand into something that genuinely uplifts women. 

‘The contestants are not the problem. The women stepping down are not “dramatic” or “ungrateful.” They are signaling to the public that something isn’t right.’