Anim na kandidata mula sa Southeast Asia ang nanganganib hindi makipag-compete sa Miss Universe 2026 matapos ideklara ng JKN Universe LLC, na nagpapatakbo ng Miss Universe Organization, na hindi nito kinikilala ang mga franchise arrangement na ginawa sa ilalim ng Miss Universe Eastern ni Nawat Itsaragrisil.
Sa pahayag na inilabas ngayong Biyernes, Setyembre 18, 2026, sinabi ng Miss Universe Organization na hindi eligible na lumahok sa 75th Miss Universe sa San Juan, Puerto Rico, sa Nobyembre 24, ang mga kinatawan ng Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, at Singapore.
Si Nawat ang chief executive officer ng Miss Universe Eastern, na inihayag ng Miss Universe Organization noong Hulyo bilang lider ng regional team na kumakatawan sa 95 bansa.
Gayunman, mariing kinuwestiyon ng MU East ang bagong pahayag at sinabi nitong hindi ito inaprubahan ng dalawang panig ng Miss Universe Organization.
Ayon sa MU East, may karapatan itong magpadala ng anim na duly selected at eligible delegates mula sa Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, at Singapore sa international pageant.
MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION VS. NAWAT ITSARAGRISIL
Muling sumiklab ang hidwaan matapos ilabas ng Miss Universe Organization ang pahayag nitong Biyernes.
Sa unang bahagi ng statement, iginiit ng organization na ang Miss Universe Eastern Pte. Ltd., na pinamumunuan ni Nawat, ay hindi isang “licensed entity authorized to grant or otherwise confer operational rights over the Miss Universe brand in any territory.”
Inakusahan din ng organization si Nawat ng pagsisiwalat sa publiko ng umano'y pribado at hindi beripikadong impormasyon tungkol sa Miss Universe Organization.
Narito ang bahagi ng pahayag: “Through his recent public declarations, Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil has purported to disclose internal financial information of the Miss Universe Organization. That information is unverified, unsubstantiated, and presented under demonstrably false pretenses.
“Mr. Itsaragrisil has no access to, communication with, or standing before the legitimate directives or officers of the Organization; accordingly, he possesses no authentic or verified financial data of the Organization.
“The selective and misleading circulation of such purported information-designed to generate confusion and reputational harm constitutes a direct material interference with the Organization's operations, its franchise network, its sponsors, and the global Miss Universe community.
“The public dissemination of organizational matters that have not been formally established, audited, or verified by the Organization's legitimate authorities, and which are communicated by an individual with no legal standing within the Organization, represents a deliberate act of interference and reputational aggression that the Miss Universe Organization condemns in the strongest possible terms and will address through all available legal mechanisms.
“JKN Universe LLC reserves all rights to pursue any and all appropriate civil and criminal remedies against any individual who knowingly or negligently disseminates false or misleading statements, or otherwise engages in conduct intended to damage the reputation, business interests, or goodwill of the Miss Universe brand and its affiliated entities.
“JKN Universe LLC denies the recent statements made by Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil concerning the financial affairs of the company.
“By disseminating false, misleading, and incomplete information through his social media channels, Mr. Itsaragrisil has made, and continues to make, statements concerning individuals associated with the company and previous Miss Universe competitions that are inaccurate and unsupported by the facts.
"Such statements have the potential to cause significant harm to the reputation and integrity of the Miss Universe brand.”
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SIX COUNTRIES AFFECTED
Sa ikalawang bahagi ng statement, sinabi ng Miss Universe Organization na hindi nito kinikilala ang national franchise arrangements na ginawa sa ilalim ng Miss Universe Eastern.
Ayon sa organization, ang mga naturang arrangement ay isinagawa sa pamamagitan ng umano'y “illegal” na kasunduan at hindi dumaan sa valid licensing framework ng JKN Universe LLC.
Iginiit nitong walang awtoridad ang mga entity na sangkot na magbigay, mag-sub-license, o maglipat ng Miss Universe franchise rights.
“JKN Universe LLC has established, upon examination of the circumstances described herein, that the franchise and license agreements purportedly entered into for the national Miss Universe® franchises enumerated below were executed by Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil and/or entities associated with him through a fundamentally illegitimate contractual arrangement.
“The entities through which these arrangements were executed have not entered into any Franchise License Agreement, or a legal licensing instrument, with JKN Universe LLC, the legal holder of the rights to license the Miss Universe brand, nor were they authorized to grant, sublicense, or otherwise confer such rights.
“Accordingly, any national franchise arrangement executed without a legal licensing framework is unauthorized, void, and confers no valid Miss Universe franchise rights. JKN Universe LLC cannot recognize or accept any rights purportedly granted under such arrangements.
“The national franchise titles currently affected by this non-recognition include, without limitation, the following, whose purported license or franchise arrangements appear to have been entered into with or through Mr. Itsaragrisil or entities associated with him:
"Miss Universe Thailand (purported franchise term 2025-2029); Miss Universe Indonesia (purported arrangement for 2026); Miss Universe Vietnam (2026); Miss Universe Laos (2026); Miss Universe Malaysia (2026); and Miss Universe Singapore (2026).
“In light of the false and misleading statements publicly made by Mr. Itsaragrisil, as well as the lack of any valid contractual framework governing the purported arrangements, JKN Universe LLC regrets to inform that contestants representing the a forementioned countries will not be eligible to participate in the 75th Miss Universe Competition.”
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MU EAST DISPUTES MISS UNIVERSE STATEMENT
Sa isang statement na inilabas din nitong Setyembre 18, nanindigan ang MU East na hindi nito ni-review o inaprubahan ang pahayag na inilabas ng kabilang panig at hindi ito kumakatawan sa napagkasunduang posisyon ng dalawang owners ng JKN Universe LLC.
Iginiit ng MU East na 50:50 ang ownership structure ng JKN Universe LLC sa pagitan ng MU East at MU West sa pamamagitan ng JKN Legacy Inc.
Ayon pa rito, sa ilalim ng Hemisphere Agreement, hawak ng MU East ang exclusive right na mag-operate, mag-promote, at mag-develop ng Miss Universe brand sa 95 Eastern Territories, kabilang ang karapatang mag-appoint at mag-manage ng franchise partners sa mga teritoryong iyon.
Dahil dito, sinabi ng MU East na nananatili ang karapatan nitong magpadala ng mga kinatawan mula sa anim na apektadong bansa sa 75th Miss Universe.
Iginiit din nitong hindi dapat maapektuhan ang eligibility ng mga kandidata dahil lamang sa hindi pagkakaunawaan sa pagitan ng MU East at MU West.
Samantala, wala pang inilalabas na personal na reaksiyon si Nawat kaugnay ng pinakabagong pahayag ng Miss Universe Organization.
Sa kabila ng isyung ito, nakatakdang matuloy ang Miss Universe 2026 sa San Juan, Puerto Rico, sa Nobyembre 24.
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