A night has passed already since the Miss World 2010 Finals happened in Sanya, China last Saturday, but still a major, major controversy is still haunting the 60th edition of the pageant.
The Top 3 results were actually generally favorable for the pageant fans as Misses USA, Botswana and Venezuela were among the top favorites for the crown.
Miss Norway Mariann Birkedal meanwhile, who was the #1 favorite and the #1 bet by the bookies, ended up only in the Top 7 quarter-finalists.
That's actually not shocking at all 'coz in a pageant anything could happen. And also, it's not the worst thing that happened in Miss World where the #1 odds-on favorite failed to win the crown or atleast secure a runner-up placement. Remember Miss Philippines Carlene Aguilar in 2005? She only entered the Top 15 semis but failed to advance farther.
But in Miss Norway's case, some pageant followers could not believe that she only finished in the Top 7 while the hometown candidate Miss China Tang Xiao, who's not even a big favorite, placed higher than her, finishing in the Top 5. So, are we talking about the host candidate being favored to win? Or is it because of the so-called "politics in pageant"?
A brand new article at the Daily Mail Online digs deeper on this. Entitled "Miss World contest turns ugly: China charged with blocking favourite Miss Norway following diplomatic row", the article states that the Miss World 2010 results might have been influenced the current diplomatic feud between China and Norway.
According to speculations, the judges composed of former Miss World titleholders allegedly were pressured not to favor Norway. China is said to be furious after the Oslo-based Nobel Peace Prize committee awarded the coveted prize to the jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo earlier this month, the article states.
People from Norway allegedly are starting to believe that their candidates have been cheated and robbed of the chance to win what could have been their first Miss World title.
Ex-Miss Norway Kathrine Sorland, who finished 3rd Runner Up in Miss World 2002, told Daily Mail Online: "I was sure she would win. They must have mixed politics and business. Without jumping to conclusions I would stress that Miss World competitions have always been political. And the relations between China and Norway are very strained at the moment."
The Miss World Organization hasn't reacted yet on these allegations.
Photos courtesy of MWO
The Top 3 results were actually generally favorable for the pageant fans as Misses USA, Botswana and Venezuela were among the top favorites for the crown.
Miss Norway Mariann Birkedal meanwhile, who was the #1 favorite and the #1 bet by the bookies, ended up only in the Top 7 quarter-finalists.
That's actually not shocking at all 'coz in a pageant anything could happen. And also, it's not the worst thing that happened in Miss World where the #1 odds-on favorite failed to win the crown or atleast secure a runner-up placement. Remember Miss Philippines Carlene Aguilar in 2005? She only entered the Top 15 semis but failed to advance farther.
Miss Norway and Miss China
But in Miss Norway's case, some pageant followers could not believe that she only finished in the Top 7 while the hometown candidate Miss China Tang Xiao, who's not even a big favorite, placed higher than her, finishing in the Top 5. So, are we talking about the host candidate being favored to win? Or is it because of the so-called "politics in pageant"?
A brand new article at the Daily Mail Online digs deeper on this. Entitled "Miss World contest turns ugly: China charged with blocking favourite Miss Norway following diplomatic row", the article states that the Miss World 2010 results might have been influenced the current diplomatic feud between China and Norway.
According to speculations, the judges composed of former Miss World titleholders allegedly were pressured not to favor Norway. China is said to be furious after the Oslo-based Nobel Peace Prize committee awarded the coveted prize to the jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo earlier this month, the article states.
People from Norway allegedly are starting to believe that their candidates have been cheated and robbed of the chance to win what could have been their first Miss World title.
Ex-Miss Norway Kathrine Sorland, who finished 3rd Runner Up in Miss World 2002, told Daily Mail Online: "I was sure she would win. They must have mixed politics and business. Without jumping to conclusions I would stress that Miss World competitions have always been political. And the relations between China and Norway are very strained at the moment."
The Miss World Organization hasn't reacted yet on these allegations.
Photos courtesy of MWO
