Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:12pm on 21 Nov 2025,Friday International
Miss Universe 2025 judge Omar Harfouch abruptly quit three days before the pageant, alleging the 30 finalists were pre-selected by an "impromptu jury" without official judges' knowledge. Harfouch claimed individuals with conflicts of interest, including someone romantically involved with a contestant, participated in the secret selection. Following a "disrespectful conversation" with MUO president Raul Rocha, Harfouch resigned and threatened legal action for fraud, corruption, and breach of contract. The MUO denied allegations, stating the selection committee was for an independent social impact initiative, not competition judging. A second judge, Claude Makélélé, also resigned citing "personal reasons." This follows earlier controversy when executive director Nawat Itsaragrisil reprimanded Miss Mexico publicly.
