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EILAT, Israel — Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the 70th Miss Universe on Sunday, topping a field of some 80 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and the pandemic.
The previously reigning Miss Universe, Andrea Meza of Mexico, crowned her successor in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat. The pageant was held in the middle of the night, wrapping up at 5am local time (11am Singapore time) to accommodate the primetime schedule in the US.
The pageant included traditional displays of national costumes, evening gowns and swimwear, as well as a series of interview questions to test contestants' public speaking skills.
But it also drew attention in recent weeks for other reasons.
A grassroots Palestinian-led boycott had urged contestants to skip the event to protest Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.
In the end, only Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country with close ties to the Palestinians, did not send a representative, citing the global COVID-19 situation.
The South African government, which also strongly supports the Palestinian cause, withdrew support for the country’s representative over her participation.
In an interview last month, Meza urged contestants to leave politics out of the pageant, saying the gathering was meant to bring together women from different backgrounds.
“When you are in there you forget about politics, about your religion,” she told The Associated Press at the time.
Sara Salansky, an official with the Israeli Tourism Ministry, said the country was selected to host the contest earlier this year because of Israel’s successful coronavirus vaccination program.
The contest also suffered a last-minute hiccup with the arrival of the Omicron variant, which forced Israel to close its borders to foreign tourists late last month.
Most of the Miss Universe contestants were already in the country before the new regulations came into effect. But those who came afterward were given special permission to enter, albeit with a mandatory 72 hour quarantine period.
Throughout the run-up to Sunday’s contest, all contestants were tested for the coronavirus every 48 hours and required to obey strict mask requirements.
France's Clemence Botino participates in the evening gown stage of the 70th Miss Universe pageant, Monday, Dec 13, 2021, in Eilat, Israel. (Photo: AP/Ariel Schalit)
Cemrenaz Turhan, Miss Universe Turkey 2021, goes on an adventure in the desert while exploring Eilat on December 5, 2021. (Benjamin Askinas/Miss Universe)
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/harnaaz-sandhu-india-miss-universe-2375756
