Miss U contestant claims sabotage, implies Philippines, Mexico behind it

CEBU, Philippines - Was a beauty queen sabotaged at Miss Universe? This was the claim made by the Aussie rep to the recent Miss Universe held in Las Vegas as the reason behind her loss in what has been oft-touted as the biggest beauty pageant in the world.

Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell landed second runner-up in the competition and was even named Miss Congeniality by fellow candidates, but she revealed that things actually turned unfriendly backstage.

According to a Sept. 8, 2010 article posted on Yahoo TV entitled “Miss Universe Contestant Claims ‘Sabotage’ Led to Her Loss” by writer Erin Carlson, the Aussie beauty queen claimed that she was a victim of adversorial sabotage—a reportedly not-so strange occurrence in the hyper-competitive universe of beauty pageants.

The article referred to Campbell’s interview with Australia’s Nova 91.9 radio station, wherein she said that the dirty tricks done on her by one of her 82 rivals involved tampering with her “widely derided national costume”—an Aboriginal art-style one-piece swimsuit and rainbow flamenco dress—consequently, hurting her chances at the crown.

“There was a bit of sabotage backstage,” she told Australia’s Nova 91.9 radio station. “When I went to put it on I found about six pins all pinned in the back of it, so when I put it on I scratched all the back of my back. I was like ‘Ooh! What’s that?’.”

Asked who she thought as the culprits behind the sabotage, she refused to name names in the radio interview, only saying, “I don’t know who it was. All of that stuff is backstage, so it could’ve been anyone.”

But the Yahoo article noted that she did single out Miss Philippines Venus Raj, as among the likely suspects. The article read: “So, whodunit? No one has copped to the prank, but from the large pool of international competitor-suspects, Campbell singles out those from Mexico, the Philippines, and Central and South America”.

On the Australian newspaper Herald Sun, she explained that the candidates from the above-mentioned countries were extremely competitive.

Mexico’s rep Jimena Navarrete became the eventual winner of Miss Universe, while Venus Raj landed fourth runner-up.

“Winning is so important for those girls because they become queens in their country and are worshipped if they win—and it changes everything forever for them,” Miss Australia was quoted as telling the Herald Sun. “But there were 82 other girls there and I can’t narrow it down, so it’s a mystery to me.”

The Yahoo report also noted that it tried to get the comment of Miss Universe officials, but that they did not respond.

Sought for a comment, Venus Raj, in an interview on yesterday’s “24 Oras”, said she didn’t want to believe the report. “Maniniwala ako kung nakita ko mismo na sinasabi niya ito,” she said.