Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

People Blast Miss Universe Contestant Who Got Axed Over Personal Scandal: “You Disappointed Us”
4

People Blast Miss Universe Contestant Who Got Axed Over Personal Scandal: “You Disappointed Us”

People Blast Miss Universe Contestant Who Got Axed Over Personal Scandal: “It’s Impacting My Reputation”: Miss Universe Contestant, 19, Speaks Out After DisqualificationFans Blast Miss Universe Contestant Expelled Over Mysterious “Personal Error”: Miss Universe Contestant Expelled Over Mysterious “Personal Error”—Accuses Event OrganizerMiss Panama Axed From Competition Over Personal Scandal, Points Finger At OrganizersMiss Panama Italy Mora Axed From Competition Over Personal Scandal, Accuses Miss Universe StaffMiss Universe Contestant Expelled Over Alleged Unauthorized Visit To Boyfriend’s Hotel RoomMiss Universe Contestant Disqualified After Alleged Unauthorized Visit To Boyfriend’s Hotel Room
ADVERTISEMENT

A Miss Universe contestant has been expelled from the beauty pageant amid rumors she allegedly made an unauthorized visit to her boyfriend’s hotel room.

Italy Mora, who was set to represent Panama in the competition, was dismissed after Miss Universe officials conducted an “exhaustive evaluation by [their] disciplinary commission” due to a reported “personal error.”

Highlights
  • Italy Mora, the delegate from Panama for this year's Miss Universe contest, was disqualified amid rumors of visiting boyfriend's hotel room.
  • Mora claims her expulsion followed an argument over the event's organization and finances.
  • The model claims her boyfriend assisted her due to the pageant's failure to cover her costs.
You May Also Like:

Image credits: italy.mora

The 19-year-old’s expulsion from the competition—scheduled for Saturday (November 16) in Mexico City—comes amid speculations that she joined her boyfriend, Juan Abadía, in his separate hotel room in Mexico without permission from organizers, Jam Press reported via the New York Post.

Instead, Mora claims that she was dismissed following a heated argument with Miss Universe Panama’s Director César Anel Rodríguez over disagreements regarding the event’s lack of organization.

The Panamanian model insists that her boyfriend was there to help her with needs that the renowned beauty pageant failed to provide.

Following the disagreement, Mora allegedly paid an unauthorized visit to Abadías’ hotel room on November 1, which made organizers even more furious.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: italy.mora

“There’s a lot of speculation that needs to be cleared up because it’s impacting my reputation, and emotionally, it’s been difficult,” Mora said, joined by Abadía, a businessman and trainer, for an interview with HOLA! Magazine.

“If I weren’t with my boyfriend, I’d be struggling even more.”

Abadía claims he had to cover Mora’s hotel fees, food, and clothing for the pageant, including a $7,000 Carolina Herrera dress.

Rumors suggest that the 19-year-old model was dismissed after an unauthorized visit to her boyfriend’s hotel room ahead of the competition

Image credits: italy.mora

Mora alleges that Rodríguez, also the head of Señorita Panamá, which produces the most important beauty pageants in the country, was aware of her visit to her boyfriend’s room and even encouraged it, given that he lacked the financial resources to pay for Mora’s hotel room fees.

ADVERTISEMENT

“César said that he did not have money to pay for it and how would we do my makeup? Well, the room was paid for, and everything was planned to do my makeup at dawn,” she said, referencing her look at the Catrina’s Gala, the first Miss Universe event held on November 2.

In a statement shared by the New York Post, Miss Universe representatives noted the decision to dismiss Mora was made “with the utmost respect for all parties involved.”

“Our No. 1 priority remains the welfare and transparency for all of our candidates, who exemplify diversity, talent and dedication,” the statement continued. The organization hasn’t provided specific details about Mora’s dismissal.

Image credits: _juan_abadia29

The organization for Miss Universe Panama stated that the candidate had been expelled “due to repeated breaches of contract” with the organization.

Though Mora reportedly attempted to overturn the ruling, organizers declined her request.

Ultimately, the young model said she agreed to “take responsibility for [her] actions and accept the consequences.” However, on social media, Mora reportedly claimed that her rights had been “violated” and that she had suffered “extortion” prior to her dismissal.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I am NOT the first Miss Universe to be dismissed for exposing my violated rights and the extortion we faced from national and international bodies,” she wrote.

Mora claimed that Miss Universe Panama’s Director was aware that her boyfriend was staying at the hotel and even encouraged him to cover her hotel room fees

Image credits: italy.mora

The beauty pageant won’t have a new delegate representing Panama at the competition and will instead focus on finding a contestant for next year’s edition.

Scandals are not uncommon in the Miss Universe organization. In fact, they date back to 1957, when Mary Leona Gage, who was supposed to represent the United States in the competition, was disqualified after organizers discovered she was married, had two children, and had lied about being 18 when she was actually 21. Until 2023, Miss Universe contestants could neither be married nor have children.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: italy.mora

In 2022, Miss Bolivia Maria Fernanda Pavisic was dismissed after saying (two months before the 71st Miss Universe competition took place) that two of her Miss Universe competitors—Miss Venezuela and Miss Peru—looked like “transsexuals,” while three others—Miss Paraguay, Miss Brazil, and Miss El Salvador—resembled “old ladies.”

Pavisic defended her remarks at the time, insisting they were part of a social experiment designed to “generate change” and encourage others to spread positivity on social media.

Bored Panda has contacted Miss Universe, César Anel Rodríguez, and Italy Mora for comment.

The news of Mora’s disqualification sparked an online debate about her behavior

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Share on Facebook
Marina Urman

Marina Urman

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

Marina is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science. In her spare time, you can find her baking, reading, or binge-watching a docuseries. Her main areas of interest are pop culture, literature, and education.

Read less »
Marina Urman

Marina Urman

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Marina is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science. In her spare time, you can find her baking, reading, or binge-watching a docuseries. Her main areas of interest are pop culture, literature, and education.

Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

Read less »

Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

Author, BoredPanda staff

Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
arthbach
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What sort of weirdness is this? A 19 year old isn't allowed to spend time with her boyfriend. Come on! It's not like she's in the army and trying to sneak her boyfriend into the barracks. They are both adults. And don't get me started in beauty pageants!

Binky Melnik
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These organizations were started a looong time ago when the world was different (racist, misogynist, sexist, all the other “-ists,” and way more religious, too), and the rules haven’t changed with the times—as private orgs and not governmental ones, they’re not required to, and fans seem not to have pushed for modernization of the rules. 😰

Load More Replies...
Joe Bloe
Community Member
1 day ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What did you expect from one of the most misogynistic competition in the world? Trump is a great fan of this, it should tell you a lot!! Even more when it's held in one of the most macho society in the world... She is worth more than that. She must do something else.

Binky Melnik
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“A great fan”? He *owns* one of the competitions, if memory serves (I think it’s Miss America!). He’s shot his mouth off about how much he enjoys going backstages when they’re getting dressed and changing. 🤮

Load More Replies...
Libstak
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are mysoginistically engendered symbols of what denotes beauty, it has nothing to do with actual beauty. Being disqualified in one instance for being married and a mother and in this instance for having a supportive boyfriend to spend time with is utterly absurd. They cannot possibly believe they have the right to police the relationship of 2 consenting adults as a measure of what denotes beauty. It's perverted and disgusting on so many levels it makes me feel physically ill just to think about it. I am imagining, the lurid fantasies of lust driven men are ruined if who they are looking at and creating sex fantasies in their minds about are ruined by the women being non virginal and already taken by some other man? What else can it be, seriously?

Load More Comments
arthbach
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What sort of weirdness is this? A 19 year old isn't allowed to spend time with her boyfriend. Come on! It's not like she's in the army and trying to sneak her boyfriend into the barracks. They are both adults. And don't get me started in beauty pageants!

Binky Melnik
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These organizations were started a looong time ago when the world was different (racist, misogynist, sexist, all the other “-ists,” and way more religious, too), and the rules haven’t changed with the times—as private orgs and not governmental ones, they’re not required to, and fans seem not to have pushed for modernization of the rules. 😰

Load More Replies...
Joe Bloe
Community Member
1 day ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What did you expect from one of the most misogynistic competition in the world? Trump is a great fan of this, it should tell you a lot!! Even more when it's held in one of the most macho society in the world... She is worth more than that. She must do something else.

Binky Melnik
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“A great fan”? He *owns* one of the competitions, if memory serves (I think it’s Miss America!). He’s shot his mouth off about how much he enjoys going backstages when they’re getting dressed and changing. 🤮

Load More Replies...
Libstak
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are mysoginistically engendered symbols of what denotes beauty, it has nothing to do with actual beauty. Being disqualified in one instance for being married and a mother and in this instance for having a supportive boyfriend to spend time with is utterly absurd. They cannot possibly believe they have the right to police the relationship of 2 consenting adults as a measure of what denotes beauty. It's perverted and disgusting on so many levels it makes me feel physically ill just to think about it. I am imagining, the lurid fantasies of lust driven men are ruined if who they are looking at and creating sex fantasies in their minds about are ruined by the women being non virginal and already taken by some other man? What else can it be, seriously?

Load More Comments
You May Like
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda