The Miss Universe 2025 competition took a tense flip this week when a contestant was referred to as “dumb” by a pageant government in entrance of all the opposite contestants in Thailand.
The confrontation occurred throughout a sashing ceremony on Nov. 4, which was livestreamed on the Miss Universe Thailand Facebook page.
Nawat Itsaragrisil, government director of the Miss Universe Group (MUO), reprimanded Miss Universe Mexico, Fátima Bosch, in the course of the ceremony, inflicting her to face up and go away the room.
A number of contestants, together with the present reigning Miss Universe, Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, Miss Universe Canada Jaime VandenBerg and Miss Universe Iraq Hanin Al Qoreishy, adopted Bosch out of the room in solidarity.
Right here’s all the pieces you’ll want to know concerning the incident that befell in the course of the Miss Universe 2025 sash ceremony.
What occurred?
In the course of the sashing ceremony, Itsaragrisil, Miss Grand Worldwide president, questioned Bosch’s absence from a social media shoot and claimed that she had “no respect.”
“Mexico, the place are you?” he requested earlier than Bosch stood up within the crowd.
“I heard you’re not going to assist all the pieces about Thailand, is that true?” he requested, earlier than accusing her of listening to the Miss Mexico administrators as a substitute of the Miss Universe staff in Thailand when requested to participate in a photograph shoot.
The alternate between the pair lasted about 4 minutes earlier than Itsaragrisil referred to as Bosch “dumb.”
“If you happen to comply with your nationwide director’s orders, you’re a dumb head,” he stated.
“I nonetheless maintain speaking to all people. Why stand as much as discuss to me?” he requested Bosch.
“As a result of I’ve a voice,” she stated. “You aren’t respecting me as a girl.”
He then referred to as on safety to take away Bosch from the room.
“We respect you, simply as it is best to respect us. I’m right here representing my nation, and it’s not my fault you have got issues with my group,” she stated to Itsaragrisil.
“No, you could hearken to me first, then argue with me,” he responded.
Moments later, Bosch stood up and left the room whereas he tried to order different contestants who have been leaving the room to take a seat down.
“Sit down. If anybody desires to proceed the competition, sit down,” Itsaragrisil stated.
Miss Universe Bonaire, Nicole Peiliker-Visser, requested if she may converse, and he informed her sure.
“We will repair it. We will deliver her again,” Peiliker-Visser stated. “We’re having such a good time in Thailand. That is such an important place. Let’s get her to come back again.”
“You see, the one lady, she’s an issue,” he then stated of Bosch.
In another clip, Peiliker-Visser requested to name all their “sisters” who left with Bosch again to the room.
“They’re our sisters. We will begin over. This can be a misunderstanding. I feel the language barrier — we will do that once more. Let’s begin over,” Peiliker-Visser stated.
Itsaragrisil then invited the ladies again, “besides Mexico,” as a result of he claimed “she’s speaking an excessive amount of.”
“However let her come again if she desires,” he added.
Fátima Bosch breaks her silence after incident
After leaving the room, Bosch spoke to the press alongside Miss Universe Iraq and stated what the director did “will not be respectful.”
“He referred to as me ‘dumb’ as a result of he has issues with the group, and I feel that’s not honest as a result of I’m right here and I do all the pieces OK,” she stated. “I don’t mess with anybody. I simply attempt to be type. I’m making an attempt to offer my greatest, and he informed me to close up and a variety of various things.”
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Bosch stated she thinks “the world must see this as a result of we’re empowered ladies and this can be a platform for our voice.”
“Nobody can silence us, and nobody will try this to me,” she added. “I don’t have an issue with any certainly one of you. You’ve my respect, and I really like your nation, however the way in which that he treats me with none motive, simply because he has issues — that’s not OK.”
“It doesn’t matter when you have an enormous dream or a crown. If it takes away your dignity, it is best to stroll away,” she added earlier than strolling away.
The Miss Universe Mexico group took to social media to denounce Itsaragrisil’s feedback to Bosch.
“What occurred at present with @fatimaboschfdz in Thailand is unacceptable. No lady, below any circumstance, deserves to be insulted or humiliated.”
“We firmly consider within the values that Miss Universe promotes: respect, dignity, and empowerment. We all know that this platform was not created to divide or degrade, however to uplift ladies and provides them their voice and vote on the earth,” they wrote. “The habits of an individual who doesn’t belong to MU doesn’t symbolize our beloved Miss Universe group, nor does it replicate the spirit of unity and respect we uphold.”
“Right this moment and at all times, Mexico is with you, Fatima. Your power, your class and your voice symbolize the perfect of our nation,” they added.
Miss Universe group releases an announcement
The Miss Universe Group issued an announcement following the incident and rising controversy surrounding the sashing ceremony.
Within the assertion, Miss Universe group’s president Raúl Rocha stated he wouldn’t permit “the values of respect and dignity of girls to be violated.”
“I wish to categorical my solidarity and assist to all delegates representing the 122 international locations on the Miss Universe Competitors, by which Thailand is our host nation,” Rocha stated.
“Sadly, Nawat has forgotten the true which means of what it means to be a real host,” he stated of Itsaragrisil. “It means to exhibit to all delegates of all international locations that he, as a bunch, has the duty to serve them, help them and assist them and to make sure they’ve a novel life expertise stuffed with kindness and courtesy.”
Rocha stated that he would “wish to make it clear” his “nice indignation towards Nawat for the general public aggression he dedicated towards Fátima Bosch, Miss Universe Mexico, whom he humiliated, insulted and confirmed a scarcity of respect, along with the intense abuse of getting referred to as safety to intimidate a defenceless lady.”
He stated that Itsaragrisil was making an attempt “to silence and exclude” Bosch.
“Nawat, you’ll want to cease,” Rocha added. “Each lady on the earth ought to be revered and Fatima, who, along with being a voice of her personal, represents her nation as effectively.”
“I cannot permit any of the ladies to be attacked and humiliated as a lot of them have managed to succeed in this platform of visibility and voice, exactly whereas making an attempt to beat conditions like these,” he added.
Rocha stated he gave the instruction to postpone the sashing ceremony, “and the place this unlucky incident befell, exactly to keep away from any interplay with Nawat, who, in his fixed need to be the centre of consideration, brought on this incident.”
“I wish to make this clear that the one ones who ought to shine are our Miss Universe delegates who symbolize every of their international locations with dignity,” he continued. “For the above causes, I’ve restricted Nawat’s participation within the occasions which are a part of the 74th Miss Universe Competitors, limiting it as a lot as attainable or eliminating it totally.”
Rocha stated that he instructed the Miss Universe Group CEO, Mario Búcaro, to element any authorized motion they are going to undertake consequently “of the malicious acts dedicated by Nawat.”
In a written statement, the MUO stated, “The Miss Universe Group (MUO) reaffirms its dedication to work carefully with the host group, the Miss Grand Worldwide Group (MGI), and all native companions to make sure the success of the 74th version of the pageant.
“A high-level delegation, led by the MUO’s CEO, Mr. Mario Búcaro, is touring to Thailand to strengthen collaboration with the host nation, MGI, and related authorities. All scheduled occasions and actions will happen as deliberate, reaffirming our shared purpose of delivering a world celebration that displays the values of variety, empowerment, and inclusion that outline the legacy of Miss Universe.”
What others are saying
Miss Universe Canada, Jaime VandenBerg, took to her Instagram Tales to share a video of her following Bosch out of the room after the alternate with Itsaragrisil.
“Whenever you silence one lady, you silence all ladies. We stand with Mexico,” she wrote.
The Miss Universe Iraq group shared an announcement on Instagram, saying they stand “firmly towards any type of disrespect.”
“We have been deeply moved by the current incident involving Miss Universe Mexico, and we wish to make it clear: we’ll at all times arise and stroll alongside those that face such challenges. Our mission is to empower ladies and guarantee their voices are heard worldwide,” it wrote.
“From Iraq to Mexico, all our love and respect. Thanks to our stunning queen Hanin Al Qoreishy for exhibiting the world who we really are — the primary queen to stroll aspect by aspect with Fatima Bosch, leaving no room for disrespect,” they added.
The present reigning Miss Universe, Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, posted on her Instagram Tales, “Eternally happy with my @fatimaboschfdz. Standing up for your self will not be at all times simple, however it is without doubt one of the most necessary acts of self-respect and power you’ll be able to present.”
“It means figuring out your price, setting boundaries, and never permitting anybody or something to undermine your voice or your worth. It’s about acknowledging that you’ve got a proper to be heard, to specific your opinions, and to pursue your goals, no matter any obstacles which will come your means. Sufficient is sufficient, and our voices will likely be heard loud and clear!”
Miss Universe Bonaire additionally posted to her Instagram.
Itsaragrisil apologizes
Itsaragrisil has since apologized for his actions in an announcement, saying: “I invested and tried my greatest to make this occasion honest to everybody however it’s exhausting to regulate.”
“Sorry universe followers, I can solely do that as a result of my persistence has a restrict. Sorry once more if I make anybody uncomfortable watching,” he added.
The Miss Universe 2025 pageant will happen on Nov. 21 in Pak Kret, Thailand.
