MGI President Nawat Issues Apology After On-Air Confrontation with Miss Mexico

Post by : Mina Rahman

As rehearsals for Miss Universe 2025 took place in Bangkok, a livestreamed sashing ceremony on November 4 escalated into a public dispute between Miss Grand International (MGI) president Nawat Itsaragrisil and Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, prompting several contestants to exit the stage in solidarity.

The exchange reportedly began after Nawat confronted Bosch over her absence from a sponsorship shoot, saying in the livestream: “Stop. Stop! Sit down. If anyone wants to continue the contest, sit down,” while other participants stood in protest. Bosch then left the venue and was followed by multiple delegates. Nawat subsequently summoned contestants back “except Mexico,” accusing Bosch of “talking too much.”

Bosch responded on social media, condemning the conduct she experienced and asserting that she had been unfairly demeaned. She accused the MGI leadership of disrespect, stressing that contestants use the platform to speak and that silencing them was unacceptable. Her post circulated widely and drew praise for her composure.

Several peers publicly supported Bosch. Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark urged that standing up for oneself is an act of strength, while Miss Universe Bonaire 2025 Nicole Peiliker-Visser moved to calm tensions and called for a constructive resolution, emphasising the need for unity among delegates.

The episode underlined longstanding friction between the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) and MGI. MUO confirmed it had opened an inquiry and said a senior delegation led by CEO Mario Búcaro would travel to Thailand to assess the situation, protect delegates and reinforce professional standards. Officials noted the competition schedule would continue, even as they imposed limits on Nawat’s role and reviewed his participation in the 74th Miss Universe events.

Days later, Nawat returned to address contestants and the media, visibly emotional, and offered an apology. He said he had underestimated the fallout and expressed regret to those affected. In a livestreamed statement in Thai he added: “If anyone feels bad, uncomfortable, or affected, I apologise to everyone. I especially apologise to the girls who were present, around 75 of them.”

He also stated that no MUO representatives were yet on site and that CEO Mario Búcaro would arrive shortly to coordinate with MGI management and ensure alignment between organisations for the remainder of the event.

The incident has prompted wider debate about contestant protections, event governance and standards of conduct at international pageants, drawing attention to the operational and ethical challenges behind high-profile competitions.