Tereza Fajksova of the Czech Republic, Miss Earth 2012. Miss Earth is no longer a Grand Slam pageant.
After consulting several pageant experts and Miss Earth national directors who followed the controversy involving the contest earlier this month, and carefully analyzing the whole situation, Global Beauties has decided to remove Miss Earth from the “Grand Slam of international beauty pageants™”, a system adopted -and registered- by Global Beauties itself in 1999.
Earlier this month, Russian newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda” published an investigative report in which it assures the “Miss Earth” crown can be bought. It shows a video in which Ms. Lorraine Schuck, President of Miss Earth, says that she would accept USD 4 million in exchange for the Miss Earth title. Ms. Schuck later claimed that “she was misunderstood and her words were twisted”, however, the video is clear, and over 90% of the people Global Beauties spoke to agreed that Miss Earth cannot be trusted any longer.
When Global Beauties created the “Grand Slam” system 13 years ago, the main idea was to give proper recognition to the beauty pageants which excelled and were promoted and produced at a level considerably higher above all other contests.
With such report and video, Miss Earth’s reputation was put at stake, and there’s no way Global Beauties can keep on promoting it as one of the premiere beauty competitions on the planet. In addition, serious and new accusations came from Argentina and Ukraine (read here). Both countries’ represnetatives alleged that during this year’s pageant some girls were taken to private parties to mingle with rich businessmen, where they were given alcohol to drink. Miss Ukraine went even further, claiming that there were talks about Miss Czech Republic winning the pageant days before the final event (which ended up happening).
Global Beauties truly believes that corruption should by no means be acceptable, after all, not only the dreams, but also thousands, perhaps millions of dollars are spent by young women who dream of conquering a major beauty title every year.
If other pageant-related websites, blogs, and publications, think that what was reported by the Russian website is acceptable, it is their right and way of seeing what a beauty pageant should act, and their choice to keep on promoting Miss Earth as they wish. GB believes in high morals and respect to the women and promoters involved in beauty pageants.
Among those who Global Beauties has interviewed were the ME national directors of Belgium, Jean-marie Vandecasteele, Netherlands, Katia Maes, New Zealand, Rose Foulger, Argentina, Nadia Cerri; Alan Sim, director of Mister International, from Singapore; pageant experts Hector Joaquin Colon, from Puerto Rico, Luis Trujillo, from the Dominican Republic, Jose Tore, from Spain, João Ricardo Dias, from Brazil, Julio Rodriguez, from Venezuela, Maryna Gudzevata, from Ukraine, Jerome Nell, from South Africa, Damian Stroiński, from Poland, Arturo Garcia-Gallo, from Mexico, among others.
Only one person said Miss Earth should remain in the Grand Slam; two were neutral; all others told us that the evidences against it were crystal clear and that it should be removed immediately. GB staff members shared this same opinion.
We feel very upset about the whole situation, after all, we believed in Miss Earth before other sites did, having given much support and a higher status to this competition when we thought it came to life to innovate and bring new excitment to the world of pageantry when it was accepted into the Grand Slam, in 2002, something that it was able to achieve in its 4 or 5 first years of existence.
Now 5 pageants remain as part of the Grand Slam: Miss World and Miss Universe (The G2), Miss International, Miss Supranational, and Miss Tourism Queen (Grand Prix).
Soon Global Beauties will release its updated Rankings, already without Miss Earth.
Wonderful decision! Thnk you GB.. Many of us kmow how corruptis that circus of a pageant and those por Pinpys created that pageant out of despair, so that they can favor and place in the finlas their usually very ugly girls… Well deserved to exclude this fraud and cheating third rate pageant from the GS I LOVE IT!
If you have strong evidence like videos… come to court and file case against miss earth… we can stop this kind of doing…. unless not proven guilty we dont have right to judge the said pagent…. Peace
It’s not our duty, what we saw was enough. We are not sending ME to jail, we just don’t promote any longer.
I watched the video and I couldn’t even understand what Ms. Schuck was saying because of the voice over.
Don’t see how you could have figured out what was actually said in the conversation without seeing the original, unedited video.
Poor judgement, I believe.
Try harder. It’s very clear.
does this removal in perpetuity?given this kind of scenario, assuming carousel will correct its mistakes, can you eventually revive their status?
a great loss for the world of pageantry…i always considered miss earth to be a very noble institution because it strives to help make Mother Earth a better place, but after i was made aware of the recent corruption scandal reported by d russian newspaper, i felt really disappointed, especially when thr is cold hard evidence of this ugly incident…
Quite unfortunate and very fatal! To think the organizer of the said pageant is a Filipino. I hope this will not reflect the true image of the Filipinos who loves pageantry!
BYE BYE MISS EARTH
every mistake is a lesson
we must surely be learning
Miss Universe is also rigged and must be downgraded from Gland Slam status.
Can you prove that? Have you seen a video o Donald Trump selling the results of Miss Universe? We don’t think so.
About time. Even without the scandals, this has been a pageant on a steady downhill slide since 2006.
I hate the fact that this Russian magazine or newspaper tried so hard to put down an international pageant let alone a country. They even included videos of poor people in the streets or prostitutes that were not related to the their complaints and looks like the video was cut & pasted or dissected. sad sad sad. They should punish Miss Russia for talking crap about their country & not Miss Earth.
I can’t believe it. It’s just unproven accusations? How about Miss Universe vs Sheena Monin & the rest of the other girls? Did you guys forget that Miss Russia talked negative feedback behind her country’s back Russia? Could this be just a retaliation from Russian newspaper?
Regardless of the crown-buying accusations, this line written by GB on how Grand Slam pageants need to be promoted and produced at a level considerably higher above all other contests illustrates another big reason why Miss Earth simply is not performing at the level to be a feasible alternative to Miss Universe or Miss World (despite what their die-hard fans may think). The last good production was in 2008 and disappointingly, they started copying Miss Universe’s format from 2006 onward (IMO they lost a HUGE opportunity to capitalize on the portion of the pageant fanbase that miss MU’s format from the 90s).
This year’s production was well below par, and the pageant came off as a low-key affair. The crowning was a sloppy mess and the parade of nations abysmal with the wind blowing hair in the girls’ faces. I simply don’t believe that a pageant-crazy nation was not able to get a decent venue, even with Bali falling through. It’s also clear they don’t have a proper stage director or production team. At this stage, 98% of ME’s supporters only come from one country, and that’s not good enough.
OK. We’ll see if these countries ME national directors named above would not send their representatives next year.. If that is the case.. This is Insane!!
I can’t fathom how these people could say such malicious statements and eventually send their delegates to the same pageant that they just tried to put down.
They won’t any longer.
GB…I hope you are right, Venezuela is mentioned and If India and USA stop as well. It will be definitely end of that bias pageant.
oh really? let see next year … eat your words.( these blog is bias)
oh really! if you think this blog is bias, what you doing here then?
their decision were based only to the testimonies of those respondents.the veracity of the video was not clearly established and properly substantiated.
the video being released by russian was aimed to maligned the reputation and credibility, of which they are successful as far as global beauties is concerned.
poor m.e.o they are not expert in hiding and twisting scandals and anomaly just like wat mwo, muo, and mio. did..they shud better consult them for advices.
Good move…but I don’t think the Pinoys will accept this but who cares. GB gave the ME the GS status and if you decide to take away, I think it’s fair play. I miss the days when you guys had the message board, unfortunately it was hacked that many times, which eventually got shut down…continue the good job GB.
Miss Earth is our gift to mother nature….
Cant u Imagine how significant this is nowadays…
What I want to happen is Schuck being removed… The corrupt Stupid Bitch
I will continue to watch this Pageant…though….
dirty dirty pageant…..we produce beautifull pinay beauty queens……from the binibining pilipinas itself…coz its long time running and clean….but miss earth!!!! really? they created this pageant to scam! shame shame shame…not all fiilipinos are like this but sadly this is our political system…..its pathetic….
FINALLY!!!!….una sa lahat pinoy ako im a filipino….but philippines placing yearly is always questionable…..miss earth i have no idea why it made big 4 the production number is cheap the venue and all…..plus they IMPOSE THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS TO PEOPLE…..so much better!………globalbeauties….im always a fan of ur fair unbiased judgement…..unlike the other FILIPINO CONTROLLED SO CALLED BEAUTY PORTALS who are ignorant and transphobic….MABUHAY GLOBAL BEAUTIES…
Philippines didn’t place in 2007 and 2009! Check your facts, sweetie.
Getting attention! I guess this is unfair. This news is created just to gain attention. An in every pageants there is politics involve associated with corruption. We just might even know others. What went wrong with ME is it has been recorded unlike others. And i guess in every pageants there’s that so called “UNDER THE TABLE” happening so as a rigged! Just an opinion.
In this one I don’t take this one SERIOUSLY!! ATTENTION SEEKER!!
You can remove Ms. Earth all you want, that’s your business but to print serious allegations without showing us the proof is just wrong. Show us the video and let us be the judge!!!
Gee, the video is there (with a link), anyone can watch it. The Ukranian piece of news is also linked.
I see a link that takes me to the (investigative news) video but the audio is dubbed in Ukranian language?
The video isn’t clear though and was obviously manipulated.
The video is very clear, accept it or not.
If the Russian langauge will remove and hear the clear voice of Ms. Shuck, I will believe…. but for this time I still accept the Miss Earth as a grand slam
This video was made by Rossiya 1, the second largest and one of the most respectable TV-channels in Russia.
i thought global beauties is “beauty without boundaries”? sorry guys, but your action spoke otherwise, coz you were “bound” by the alleged controversy hounding the miss earth oraganization…
well…
A line should be drawn somewhere. We believe in RESPECT and HONESTY. Have you watched the video?
ok gb , pls explain the content of the video and post that video here .
Just click on the link….
I think after seeing the results of all international pageants this 2012 included in GB list, we can say that not only MS EARTH has an issue of corruption.
Miss Earth will still continue to exist, even without the support of GB. It may have less number of participants possible on the next few years but will eventually come back and prove to all all that MS EARTH is a credible and respected international beauty pageant.
Just my cent-worth thought.
Serves them right. Paula and Julia will never be caught in that situation. Lorraine should not have entertained them. Good riddance.
It is what it is.
a lot of people still considers miss earth as a ” grand slam pageant” I love miss earth! Miss earth can stand on its own! Love universe,world, and international.
To GB, please reconsider your decision to remove the Miss Earth pageant from the grandslam. All pageants are accused of corruption and other accusations. It may be true that there was talk between the russian press and ms. Schuck, but the main thing here is that miss russia did not win this year and last year they were not even part of the top 16, if i’m not mistaken. It was last year that the supposed conversation happened so it means that no matter how big the payment was, miss earth did not accept it. If ever miss russia this year advanced to top 16 because miss earth org allowed this, then how can you accuse them of being unfair when miss universe practices this as well, and they even admit it by stating that there are trump/muo picks? Plus russia this year deserves her placement or even more so why pinpoint only the miss earth pageant? Look at miss universe, isn’t it that their sponsors are australian, russian, japanese (mikimoto before), thai (before), and their girls are entering the semis and become runners up or even winners. Their photographer is affiliatted with ms. Albania and miss kosovo pageants, and every year one of them enters the semis. Isn’t it rigged as well? Of course you will say it’s not because there is no concrete evidence. But how about miss earth? Yes, there’s a video but did it prove anything? Did she agree with the russian? Did they sign a contract? These people are businessmen, they know that if they would release that huge amount of money they need assurance that miss earth will stay true to their word. My question is this also: did you investigate the other party? The russian press or the supposed wealthy benefactor? I mean if they can do this to miss earth, they can also do this also to the other pageants, especially the grand prix pageants you’ve mentioned since their smaller and less expensive than the g2? Why would they focus on miss earth when you and other experts look down on the pageant? Does this mean that miss earth is really an important pageant to spend that huge amount of money? Another thing… Miss ukraine mentioned those things. You believed her, but did you also believe the other miss philippines and other candidates in miss world and miss international who experienced the same thing? From my understanding, it was only miss ukraine who complained, no other candidate came forward. There was a candidate in miss world, i forgot who it was who was very vocal about her experience in the pageant and she was very upset because of her experience in the pageant and she even said that it’s rigged as well. But did you consider her complaints to remove miss world from the g2? My point here is that every pageant, even the bigger ones are being accused of what you are accusing miss earth of, but why only single out miss earth? I have high regard to your organization that’s why i’m asking you this because i believe you are all level headed people unlike those in other boards who would react negatively with what i’ve written here. Thank you.
Dear friend, you may be right that all pageants are accused of curruption, but those are all conspiracy theories. ME was caught on action, and it’s very serious.
Hi GB! May i ask, have you done a background check on the russian press and whatever media outfit that released the video? I wonder because there may be a possibility that this media outfit may be a tabloid, kinda similar with the national enquirer of the US, a tabloid that is known to release fabricated and derogative stories, which no one except the fickle-minded who believes. Didn’t you see that they are doing that to malign not just the org but of the entire philippines? This after miss russia said something negatively about her country. The miss earth org supported miss russia so can this be a way to retaliate against the pageant. Another thing, the timing is very crucial. Why just now? Why didn’t they report the news right away since it was last year that the supposed bribing happened? They could’ve prevented sending their countryman to the pageant and protected her from joining this supposed fradulent pageant. Is there a possibility that this edited video showed only the part where the org will be put to a bad light, and not when she may have declined the offer? There’s also a possibility that the russian press may be waiting for miss earth to change their mind and accept the offer (if ever they declined it), that’s why they did not exposed it right away. And after the pageant did not adhere to what the bribers want, as a payback, they will destroy the reputation of the pageant.
Our question for you is: have you watched the video?
I did, i cannot understand it coz it’s in russian but a transcript in english was provided by a forumer in the other board and i must admit, i was surprised by what i read but as i said, we are not sure what happened before and after that video clip, it just highlighted the things that would be destructive for meo. She mentioned that the can do something next year which is this year but did miss russia win? Was she a runner up? She mentioned the integrity of miss earth and the importance of the judges and it seems that that transpired this year, the judges’ decision prevailed so ms. Schuck or anyone for that matter did not influence the result so no acceptance of bribe may have happened because another candidate won. She mentioned also that it’s possible to rig the result, right? But everything is actually possible. She just mentioned the possibilities but the real concern here is if it happened, and it did not. If she really want to rig the results to cater to the wants of the wealthy benefactor, she could’ve offered rigging the results that year, but she declined. You see, we filipinos have this attitude of not shaming our guests and we want to please them especially foreigners so ms. Schuck may have this, thus she tried appeasing the russian press and his client by saying those things but not actually doing it, and that may have happened that’s why miss russia did not win. All we’re doing here are speculating, so i believe that removing miss earth from the grandslam status can be considered as a hasty and premature decision, with all due respect. Maybe you could have demanded, along with the national directors the detailed and substantial explanation of ms. Schuck or a more drastic change, which is her resignation if you really lost confidence and trust to her. I pity the entire org, and miss schuck coz i believe she’s really commited with her pageant and its cause, and they do not want it tarnished and be destroyed.
Hat’s off to you Ed!
very well said….
very true Ed. I wasn’t always a fan of ME and I get confused why Miss Phils always makes it to the Top 4 even though some are obviously undeserving (for me only).
But to destroy the MEO because of an unclear video, which I think only GB can understand since the only thing they can seem to use as a rebuttal is “HAVE YOU SEEN THE VIDEO?” is very unfair to the MEO. You base your decisions on the assailant’s accusation-slash-evidence (since you are very insistent about the video) without even caring to investigate on the side of the MEO.
I have always loved MEO’s purpose which is for the betterment of Mother Earth and I personally think they have one of the greatest causes on pageant history.
There has been no proof, only concrete accusations with matching props. Unless we see money being handed or a contract of the sale, then we have proof.
We can’t do anything about GB’s decision, whatever we try to say or do their decision is fixed. Besides I don’t think the absence of GB’s support will kill MEO.
I’ll still support Miss Earth, not for what’s being done to get the crown, but for what’s done after the crown. And I’m sure this is just an issue they need to itch off and they’ll be back to the limelight soon. PEACE
MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! OR THE LOVE OF IT… IS REALLY THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL!!!
Yawwnnn!! I’ll still support Miss Earth no matter what drama unfolds..after all it’s he most less bias among all 4 pageants this year!!
Everyone has a choice =)
This will make Global Beauties less exciting… Beauty Pageants involves politics.. Deal with it people that’s the REALITY.. I love Global Beauties ever since but with its recent changes, I doubt if I can still love it the way I do before..
Let’s just be fair.. Give every one the due process they deserved..
The only difference between Ms. Earth and other “Grand Slam” pageants is that its corruption was recorded on tape. No real pageant fan truly believes – in their heart of hearts – that Ms. Universe, Ms. World, and Ms. International are not rigged to a certain extent especially after looking at this year’s results. As a self-confessed pageant freak, this does bother me (of course) but not enough to make me stop watching/following said pageants. I just don’t take them THAT seriously. No one should!
Honey, i agree with you, but can u prove it? No, right? we assume that there is corruption but if u dont prove it that is just speculation, so get over it.! and GB, YOU HAVE MY RESPECT NOW! CONGRATULATIONS!
So you agree with me that the pageants are corrupt but then in the same sentence you say it’s just speculation? Jajaja!
That’s sad if it’s proven true…
they already have given their verdict and so they believe its true.
Me parece muy bien, igual deberian hacer los paises no no enviar mas delegadas a miis earth, para que gastar miles de dolares, sueños, si ya lo sabemos, que la que gana en or qu puede comprar el titulo.
Deberian ser estos eventos trasparentes, y que gane la mejor, y no a la corrupcion
Can’t belived of this can i see the video the said evidence. I am a pageant fanatic. this scandal shocked me.