Miss Iceland Walks Away From Miss Universe Amid Growing Controversy
Right now, the Miss Universe pageant is facing yet another major shake-up, and this time it involves Miss Iceland herself. Helena Hafþórsdóttir O’Connor has officially stepped down from her title as Miss Universe Iceland 2025, becoming the latest contestant to distance herself from the organization as controversy continues to surround the global pageant.
The decision was announced through a personal statement shared on Instagram on December 15, where Helena confirmed that she considers her contract with the Miss Universe Iceland organization to be terminated. With that, she also confirmed that she is giving up the crown she earned earlier this year. According to her, this was not a decision taken lightly, but one forced by circumstances she felt were unfair and damaging.
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Helena explained that her journey was abruptly disrupted while she was in Thailand preparing for the Miss Universe competition. She said she suffered from severe food poisoning and was undergoing medical treatment when, according to her claims, she was withdrawn from the competition without her consent. It was stated that assurances had been given that she would be allowed time to recover and still return to compete. However, she alleges that the national director removed her from the event despite repeated pleas from her family to allow her health to stabilize.
What added to her frustration, she said, was what happened after she returned home to Iceland. Helena claimed she was informed that a penalty would need to be paid if she wanted to continue holding the Miss Iceland title. She described this as deeply troubling, especially since she was still recovering and believed she had been fighting to remain in the competition the entire time. In her words, the contract was considered broken by the organization, not by her.
The Miss Universe Iceland organization has strongly denied these allegations. In its response, the organization stated that Helena independently and clearly communicated her decision to withdraw from the competition, and that written documentation exists to support that claim. It was also emphasized that no penalty was imposed for her absence from Miss Universe, though standard contractual obligations apply to anyone who retains the national title. Claims that she was silenced about her illness were also denied, with the organization saying only coordinated public communication had been requested.
Despite these explanations, Helena made it clear she could not continue under those conditions. She said she refused to have her voice silenced and felt there was no way to move forward while maintaining trust. She also expressed concern for future contestants, warning that while the pageant world can offer opportunities, it can also cause deep harm if respect and fairness are missing.
Her resignation comes at a time when Miss Universe 2025 has already been marred by controversy, including executive disputes, judge resignations, and allegations of irregular judging. Helena now joins a growing list of former titleholders who have stepped away, signaling that the fallout surrounding this year’s pageant is far from over.
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