A word of clarification: There’s no official Miss Saudi Arabia yet in the upcoming edition of Miss Universe, to be held in Mexico.
This was confirmed by the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) in a press release on April 1, following the confirmation of beauty queen Rumy Alqahtani on social media.
“Honored to be a part of Miss Universe 2024. This is the first participation of Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe Competition,” Alqahtani wrote on her social media in Arabic.
However, MUO said that there is “no selection process” that was being conducted for Saudi Arabia.
“Miss Universe Organization would like to address recent reports claiming the participation of a contestant representing Saudi Arabia in this year’s competition. We would like to categorically state that no selection process has been conducted in Saudi Arabia, and any such claims are false and misleading,” the organization said in a statement.
It added that contestants in the competition shall adhere to the policies and guidelines that ensure the non-biased selection of participants to be sent to the competition.
“The selection of contestants to represent their respective countries in the Miss Universe competition is a rigorous process that adheres strictly to our policies and guidelines. Each country’s selection is carried out in accordance with established criteria and regulations, ensuring fairness and transparency in the selection of participants,” MUO said.
Miss U clarifies: No Saudi Arabia entry yet
Meanwhile, the organization said that they are currently processing the awarding of franchises and the assignment of a national director for potential candidates.
This meant that Saudi Arabia – known for its ultra-conservative views on women – will not be officially part of the 73rd edition of Miss Universe until approved by the assigned MUO approval committee.
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