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Whew child... the Miss Universe drama keeps going...and going!
Yesterday (November 24), Miss Côte d’Ivoire Olivia Yacé, who placed fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 2025 in Bangkok, announced her resignation as Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, severing all ties with the Miss Universe Organization.
In an Instagram statement, Yacé said she stepped down “with a heart full of gratitude and profound respect” to focus on defending her personal values of dignity, excellence, and equal opportunity.
She emphasized her mission to inspire the next generation of young girls and called on Black, African, Caribbean, American, and Afro-descendant communities to continue breaking barriers, noting, “Our presence matters, and our voices must be heard.”
The pageant’s owner, Raul Rocha, explained that logistical challenges were a factor in why Yacé could not have won the competition, stating that frequent travel was required of titleholders and that it would be particularly difficult for Côte d’Ivoire passport holders, who need visas for 175 countries.
The Miss Côte d’Ivoire Committee confirmed Yacé will return her sash immediately.
Yacé also congratulated Miss Universe 2025 winner Fátima Bosch and wished a swift recovery to Miss Universe Jamaica Gabrielle Henry, who suffered a fall during the preliminaries.
The moves come after controversies surrounding whether Bosch deserved the win. Scores of social media fans stated that the win was to do "damage control." And let's not forget the two judges who quit, with one alleging that the competition was "rigged."