Miss Universe Contestant Stripped of Title After Trashing ‘Fixed’ Pageant

A Miss Universe contestant has lost her title after she claimed the competition is “always fixed.”

Thirty-year-old Magalí Benejam, who placed 12th while representing Argentina in the 2024 pageant, alleged that the competition did not allow the judges to choose the top five contestants.

“They started looking at each other as if to say, ‘This is not what we chose, this is not what I chose,’” Benejam said during a YouTube live interview conducted in Spanish on Dec. 19.

“That’s what it felt like from the outside and that’s where I said, ‘OK, this is fixed.’ It was always fixed, every year.”

She claimed that who would win the crown was pre-determined several days in advance.

Benejam went on to slam the 21-year-old winner of the contest, Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark, as having prior knowledge that she would win. Benejam claimed Theilvig showed up with extra security that day, reported Latin Times.

Benejam also took some time to trash the looks and behavior of the contestants representing Puerto Rico during the interview. She claimed Miss Puerto Rico Jennifer Colón was not friendly and wore the “worst” gown of the night.

In response, the Miss Universe Organization announced that it has cut all ties with Benejam and stripped her of her title.

“After a thorough review of recent public comments made by Miss Magali Benejam, and based on our core principles, we have decided to withdraw immediately the title of Miss Universe Argentina from Miss Benejam,” the organization wrote in a statement last week.

The organization also doubled down on how contestants must reflect “unwavering principles” and respect others “regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or experiences.”

“We want to emphasize that this action is taken to protect the integrity of the organization and the opportunities it provides to women around the world,” said the organization.

Benejam is only the latest contestant to be cut loose from association with the pageant. Contestants representing Armenia, Fiji and Panama were all dumped for various reasons leading up to the final show.