MUO owner Anne Jakrajutatip/ANNE JAKRAJUTATIP FACEBOOK PHOTO
Just a few days after the Miss Universe coronation night, Anne Jakrajutatip, the Thai business mogul who owns the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and Miss USA issued a clarification that candidates were fairly judged based on their own merits during the pageant’s 71st edition.
Filipina-American R’Bonney Gabriel of the USA was named as Miss Universe 2022, while Venezuela’s Amanda Dudamel was named as first runner-up, and Andreína Martínez settled for second runner-up. Meanwhile, the Philippines’ own Celeste Cortesi failed to advance to the Top 16 semi finals last Jan. 14 (morning of Jan. 15 in Manila) in New Orleans, U.S.
Following the pageant, Jakrajutatip was accused by fans of rigging the results for Gabriel’s favor, as well as cutting off candidates who are considered to be frontrunners from the semi finals and final rounds.
The Thai businesswoman clarified in her personal Instagram account on Tuesday, Jan. 17 that the 71st Miss Universe was “fair and equitable.”
“The rules and judges were fair and equitable. Each Miss Universe contestant was measured on her own merits in the competition. Not everyone can win the competition but everyone gets an equal chance of winning,” she said.
Despite this, several pageant fans flooded the comments section as they accused Jakrajutatip of showing favors to Gabriel.
“How can you say ‘the rules were fair’ when USA took additional 6+ seconds to answer the final question and even the host allowed her to continue answering after the bell rang? Is that what you call fair?? I don’t think so,” one wrote.
“From day 1, Amanda [of Venezuela] was above all, I always highlighted. The jury was mostly American, and it was held in the United States with the owner of Miss USA. Where is equity? nothing clean,” another said.
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@annejkn.official
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@annejkn.official
Gabriel is the ninth American beauty queen to be crowned as Miss Universe 2022, following Olivia Culpo, Brook Lee, Chelsi Smith, Shawn Weatherly, Sylvia Hitchcock, Linda Bement, Carol Morris, and Miriam Stevenson. EDV