Miss Universe 2025 Runner-up Resigns
Ivory Coast beauty Olivia Yacé announced that she is resigning from her title as Miss Universe 2025’s 4th Runner-up, three days after the finals.
On her personal page on the evening of November 24, Olivia Yacé said that the Miss Universe competition helped her realize her ability to overcome adversity and pursue bigger goals. However, to continue on her own path, she said she must uphold core values including respect, dignity, excellence and equal opportunity.
“I have contributed with dedication, resilience, discipline and determination. But if I am to reach my full potential, I must uphold the principles and values of the path I have chosen,” she wrote.
Olivia Yacé also announced that she is relinquishing her subsidiary title of Miss Universe Africa & Oceania. She said she wanted to be a role model for the younger generation, especially girls, encouraging them to overcome their limits and confidently embrace their identity. She also congratulated the new Miss Universe 2025 and encouraged the representative of Jamaica, the contestant who had a health problem after the final.
She is 27 years old, a model, social activist, and graduated with a degree in Marketing from Loyola Marymount University (USA). Olivia Yacé attracted attention right from the start of the contest because she was the 2nd runner-up of Miss World 2021. After important rounds such as swimsuit, national costume, semi-finals, the beauty convinced beauty experts about her stage presence and performance ability.
Olivia Yacé’s 4th runner-up achievement was regrettable because dozens of rankings highly appreciated her, including Sash Factor, Leaderboard, Crown, and Miss Universes, which predicted the beauty would be crowned.
The Miss Universe 2025 final took place on the morning of November 21, the crown belonged to Mexican beauty Fatima Bosch, 25 years old. The remaining Top 5 included Praveenar Singh (Thailand), Stephany Abasali (Venezuela), Ahtisa Manalo (Philippines) and Olivia Yacé (Ivory Coast).
This year, Miss Universe was embroiled in a scandal in the organization stage. Mr. Nawat – the head of the production unit – launched a campaign to vote for contestant photos to enter the top 10 to attend a “special dinner and talk show”, considered a sideline activity of the contest. However, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) said that this activity was not authorized and violated trademark copyright. Both sides continuously issued statements of protest, international media described this as a “budding power struggle” within Miss Universe.
The series of noises occurred in the context of MUO entering a leadership transition period after Guatemalan Mario Búcaro was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to replace Anne Jakrajutatip, a Thai businessman who has held this position since 2022, announced at the end of October.
On November 18, former footballer Claude Makélélé withdrew from the Miss Universe jury without giving a reason, while musician Omar Harfouch left because he thought the contest “lacked transparency”. Amid the controversy, the program still attracted the attention of fans around the world. On social networks, images and videos from the contest received millions of interactions.
Miss Universe was first held in 1952, and is now the most watched beauty pageant in the world, with 165 countries and territories buying broadcasting rights. In recent years, the contest has changed many of its rules, aiming for diversity, honoring not only physical beauty but also the bravery and healthy lifestyle of women. In 2023, the Miss Universe organization said it would accept married women, mothers, and transgender people to compete.
This year, because the organizers removed the age limit, many contestants over 30 years old participated. The oldest beauty of Bonaire, Nicole Peiliker, is 42 years old. Miss Ireland, Aadya Srivastava, and Miss Belarus, Alena Kucheruk, are the youngest, 18 years old.
