Did Olivia Yacé lose Miss Universe because of visa restrictions?

The Miss Universe 2025 conversation refuses to quiet down — and this time, the loudest shockwaves come from within the organization itself. What began as murmurs about judging inconsistencies has exploded into a full-blown debate after Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Raul Rocha suggested that Olivia Yacé’s passport — not her performance — may have cost her the crown.

In a livestream now circulating across pageant accounts, Rocha addressed why Côte d’Ivoire’s beloved representative didn’t win. His explanation stunned fans: the difficulty of global travel for Ivorian citizens.

He claimed Olivia faced a logistical barrier impossible to ignore:
“She’s going to be the Miss Universe who spent a whole year in an apartment because of the cost of the visa process with lawyers.”
He followed this with another pointed detail:
“Some of them require six months notice. The year’s already gone, right?”

Rocha framed the Miss Universe role as one that demands constant global mobility — and, in his view, a candidate requiring visas for 175 countries would struggle to fulfill that responsibility.

But to many observers, the argument felt less like practicality and more like prejudice.

Online reactions were immediate and fiery. Under one repost, a fan wrote, “He has just confirmed to the world that Olivia is the real winner.” Another asked, “So judges know who they have to vote to, based on visas????” One viewer was even more direct: “What he is saying deeply ignorant and insulting not to Olivia but towards all our sister nations.”

The strongest backlash, however, came from someone inside the competition: Miss Guadeloupe, Ophély Mézino. Fresh from arriving in Paris, she unloaded a rare and blistering critique on Instagram.

“Just landed in Paris. I’m never angry, and I’m not letting anyone disturb my peace. But the visa topic? I’m not even concerned. As a Guadeloupean, I am French. I have a French passport.”

Then her tone sharpened:

“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 challenged Rocha’s claims head-on:

“Are you trying to find a racist excuse for the fact that you didn’t choose someone who was highly qualified for this job? Do you even read our biographies when we submit all the visa information? My girl has an American passport. What are you talking about?”

Her outrage spilled further into systemic criticism:

“You steal the money of small territories. You steal the hope of millions of people who don’t understand why they are not in the Top 30, 12, or 5. This is the worst excuse I have ever heard.”

And she ended with a statement that captured the heartbreak of many long-time followers:

“This is a humiliation, a lack of respect for the contestants, the families, the representatives who put so much energy into your brand. How can you disrespect those countries like that?”

Meanwhile, Olivia Yacé — the woman at the center of the storm — responded not with anger but with resolve. Days after finishing in the Top 5, she resigned as Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.

In her message to supporters, she emphasized personal integrity and purpose:

“As the representative of Côte d’Ivoire at the Miss Universe 2025 competition in Bangkok, I witnessed firsthand that I was capable of reaching great things despite adversity.”

Her resignation, she clarified, was about staying aligned with her principles:

“To continue on this path, I must remain true to my values: respect, dignity, excellence, and equal opportunity the strongest pillars that guide me.”

The fallout leaves a painful and complicated question hanging over the pageant:

Did Olivia Yacé lose Miss Universe because of visa restrictions — or because of biases hiding behind bureaucratic explanations?

One thing is clear: pageant fans, contestants, and entire communities are demanding accountability. And the Miss Universe Organization now faces a crisis not just of controversy, but of credibility.