During the 2025 Miss Universe competition, which takes place in Thailand, an incident broke out between Nawat Itsaragrisil, vice-president for Asia-Oceania of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), and Fátima Bosch, representative of Mexico.

The facts

The incident occurred during a "sashing" ceremony, intended to present headbands to the contestants and promote Thailand to the event's sponsors. According to several media outlets, Nawat directly questioned Bosch about her absence from certain promotional activities. The exchange reportedly quickly became tense.

According to the sources, Nawat allegedly used terms deemed humiliating, calling the candidate a "dumb" ("idiot"), which provoked an immediate reaction from Fátima Bosch: "Because I have a voice... You are not respecting me as a woman." Visibly shaken, she reportedly left the room, followed by several other candidates, including the reigning Miss Universe, in a show of solidarity.

The reactions

The incident provoked a strong reaction within the Miss Universe Organization (MUO). The organization's president, Raúl Rocha Cantú, described Nawat's behavior as "disrespectful" and announced disciplinary measures, including limiting her access to Miss Universe 2025 events.

In a live video broadcast on TikTok a few hours later, Nawat issued a public apology. Several media outlets reported that he was emotional and in tears during the live stream, expressing his regret for any distress caused and stating, "I apologize if anyone felt bad or uncomfortable. That was not my intention."

Issues and context

This incident raises several important questions:

1. Respect for participants : the controversy highlights how candidates are treated, particularly in relation to authority figures and obligations linked to sponsors.
2. Autonomy vs promotional obligations : Fátima Bosch and other candidates expressed the need to maintain their autonomy and dignity in the face of the demands of the competition.
3. Image and credibility of the MUO : managing this crisis will be crucial for the organization, which must reconcile respect for the participants and institutional image.

For the representative of Mexico, this incident goes beyond the scope of a simple competition: it is also a matter of dignity and visibility in an international event followed by millions of viewers.