Just days before the 74th Miss Universe coronation night, the pageant finds itself in the center of another storm — this time involving a judge’s sudden resignation and allegations questioning the integrity of the competition.

Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, originally invited as one of the eight official judges, announced his withdrawal from the panel, claiming that a separate and unofficial group had allegedly pre-selected the Top 30 finalists even before the formal judging began. In a series of posts, Harfouch said that this alleged “impromptu jury” operated without the knowledge or participation of the actual judges — including himself — and was supposedly composed of individuals with personal ties to some candidates.

His statements reignited discussions about transparency, fairness, and internal processes within Miss Universe, already heightened by an earlier incident involving the Thai host country’s pageant director and Mexico’s delegate.

However, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) quickly and firmly disputed Harfouch’s claims. In an official statement, MUO stressed that no such jury existed, adding that competition evaluations remain under strict supervision with protocols designed to ensure fairness. The group noted that Harfouch may have misunderstood the nature of Beyond the Crown, a standalone MUO initiative centered on leadership, service, and social impact — not tied to scoring or competition results.

MUO emphasized that Beyond the Crown functions completely independently from the judging process, reiterating that the selection of finalists remains the responsibility of the official panel alone. While the organization acknowledged Harfouch’s resignation, it maintained that the integrity of the competition has not been compromised.

The controversy adds another layer of tension to an already eventful edition of Miss Universe, following a walkout earlier this month when Miss Universe Thailand’s director clashed with Mexico’s representative during a pre-pageant event.

Despite the noise surrounding the competition, anticipation for coronation night remains high. On November 21, all eyes will be on Bangkok as Ahtisa Manalo continues her quest.