Miss Universe Contestants Walk Out in Protest

In a surprising turn of events, contestants at the Miss Universe pageant walked out of a pre-pageant event in response to comments made by an executive. Nawat Isaragrisil, the executive director of the Miss Universe Organization, criticized Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, in front of her peers, claiming she showed “no respect” for not participating in a social media shoot.

During the annual sash ceremony held on Tuesday, Isaragrisil confronted the contestants, expressing frustration over several participants’ absence from a sponsored photo shoot. Instead of fostering a welcoming atmosphere, he aggressively questioned Bosch about her non-participation.

The tense exchange was captured in a livestream by Miss Universe Thailand, highlighting the discomfort. Rather than starting the event with some encouraging words, Isaragrisil chose to belittle Bosch and the other participants for not following the guidelines.

He directly challenged Bosch, asking her to stand and explain her absence. When he pressed, “Mexico, where are you?” Bosch admitted there were issues, which opened the door to further accusations. Isaragrisil suggested she was taking guidance from the Miss Mexico director instead of the Miss Universe team.

The confrontation escalated over a four-minute period, culminating with Isaragrisil calling Bosch a “dummy,” which prompted outrage from the contestants. When he questioned why she was speaking while he was talking, she firmly responded, “Because I have a voice. You don’t respect me as a woman.”

As Bosch expressed her dissent, Isaragrisil attempted to silence her by calling for security, but this only led to more contestants, including current Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Teilwig, walking out in solidarity with Bosch.

In a measured statement to reporters after the incident, Bosch expressed her hurt over being labeled “stupid” regarding organizational challenges. “I think it’s unfair. I try my best to be nice and compliant, yet I’m treated this way,” she said.

Teilvig joined the chorus of dissent, condemning the treatment of Bosch and calling for respect among all contestants. “This is a matter of women’s rights,” she said, emphasizing that everyone should be treated with dignity.

After her exit, Teilvig vowed not to return for continued events. Other contestants echoed her sentiments of respect, with many demanding accountability from Isaragrisil. Viewers also reacted angrily, urging that he should be removed from his position following the public apology extended to Bosch for her treatment.

Miss Universe president Raul Rocha Cantu later acknowledged that Isaragrisil “humiliated and insulted” Bosch, asserting that calling security to intimidate her was completely unacceptable. Cantu announced plans to assign another official, Mario Bucaro, to ensure a smoother running of the remaining events leading up to the coronation ceremony on November 20th.

A wave of online comments echoed the call for Isaragrisil’s removal, with one user saying, “He needs to go. It’s time to save our traditional and beloved pageant.” In the fallout, Isaragrisil took to Instagram to address the situation. He expressed frustration at the conditions surrounding the event but acknowledged that improvements are needed moving forward.