The Miss Universe Fiji pageant is mired in controversy as the title changes twice

Recently, the 2024 Miss Universe Fiji (MUF) pageant has been plunged into a fierce vortex of controversy, with the title changing twice, attracting widespread attention.

In the competition held from August 27 to September 2, initially, after the final vote of seven judges, 24-year-old Manshika Prasad won the title, and 30-year-old Nadine Roberts was the runner-up. However, shortly after the competition, the MUF officials suddenly announced that the judges had made a controversial decision at the finals and wrongly announced the winners and runners-up. They said that an internal review found that there was a tie in the final voting stage. Prasad and Roberts each got four votes, and the licensee has the final say. So Roberts is the champion.

But this result has sparked many doubts. Jennifer, one of the judges, said that Prasad is clearly the winner of the finals, not only because of her stage performance but also including her way of interacting with others. Moreover, according to the rules, the competition in each country or region needs to be authorized by the brand owner. The authorized party designates a judge to participate. The licensee of this year's MUF is a real estate development company. The appointed judge Fabriani had already voted on behalf of the company, but cast the crucial vote in the final counting stage, determining the fates of the two. Even more surprisingly, Fabriani herself was not on the judges' panel on the night of the competition but voted remotely by phone.

As the incident fermented, an insider revealed that when Prasad was announced as the winner, Roberts behaved abnormally. And she is married to Australian businessman Jamie McIntyre. Although McIntyre did not directly sponsor the competition, his company has business dealings with the sponsors.

On September 6, the person in charge of the organizer of MUF, Dwyer, issued a statement saying that he had communicated with the brand owner of Miss Universe and confirmed that the originally announced winner Prasad will represent Fiji in the Miss Universe finals to be held in Mexico in November. Prasad also posted to confirm that she was crowned again. But Roberts still claims on social media that she is the "true Miss Universe Fiji 2024".

The controversy in this Fiji pageant is not an isolated case. In recent years, the commercial operation mode of beauty pageants has often been criticized, and fairness and impartiality have been repeatedly challenged. This incident not only puts the two contestants under great pressure but also taints the reputation of beauty pageants, triggering people's profound reflections on the fairness and transparency of the beauty pageant industry. Who is the real winner? Perhaps it no longer depends solely on the ownership of the title but whether the credibility of beauty pageants can win back the public's trust again.