After weeks of speculation, confusion, and allegations of voting irregularities, the Miss Universe Organisation has officially confirmed Manshika Prasad as the winner of Miss Universe Fiji 2024.
The 24-year-old MBA student was initially crowned in early September during a ceremony at Fiji’s Pearl Resort and Spa, marking the first Miss Universe Fiji pageant in over 40 years.
However, just two days later, Miss Universe Fiji organisers declared a “breach of protocol” and announced runner-up Nadine Roberts as the rightful winner, citing “incorrect procedures” on the night of the event.
This ignited a whirlwind of accusations, including claims of racism, vote-rigging, and conflicts of interest. Roberts, a 30-year-old model and property developer originally from Australia’s Gold Coast, contested the decision, further fuelling the controversy.
The confusion stemmed from reports of an eighth judge who allegedly influenced the voting outcome, causing an uproar across social media and sparking conspiracy theories.
According to one of the judges, Prasad won with four out of seven votes, only for the decision to be challenged days later when an eighth judge, reportedly the license holder for Miss Universe Fiji, claimed a tie had occurred.
Both Prasad and Roberts declared themselves the rightful winner, leaving fans divided.
In response, the Miss Universe Organisation launched an investigation into the matter. In a statement released this week, the organisation assured the public that the matter had been addressed with “the utmost seriousness” and that the processes followed during the pageant were in line with their transparency and fairness standards.
“There have been conflicting reports regarding the winner,” the statement said.
“After reviewing the processes and results, we have determined that the winner of Miss Universe Fiji 2024 is Miss Manshika Prasad.”
The investigation was aimed at ensuring that Fiji would be fairly represented in the upcoming international Miss Universe competition in Mexico on 17 November.
Despite the turmoil, the Miss Universe Organisation has now restored Prasad’s title, officially confirming her as Fiji’s representative in the global competition.
“We trust that, through our rigorous and fair evaluation, we have been able to provide clarity and reinforce the integrity of our selection process,” the organisation concluded.
In a statement Prasad said:
“I am deeply honored to be crowned MISS UNIVERSE FIJI 2024 and I am so proud to represent our beautiful nation on the international stage for @missuniverse in MEXICO!!!”
The controversy marks a rocky return for the Miss Universe pageant in Fiji, which had not held a national competition since 1981 due to a lack of funding.
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