The Miss Panama Universe organization confirmed today that its candidate, Italy Mora, was expelled from the 2024 edition of the Miss Universe pageant due to disciplinary problems.
"It is a difficult situation. We have one of the most beautiful women who has ever stepped foot in an event of this nature. Italy is a young woman, 19 years old, and as young people, we have all made mistakes at some point," commented Cesar Anel Rodriguez, director of Miss Universe Panama.
The news, which started as a rumor, became news when the formal announcement was made on the Instagram account of the Panamanian pageant. Reportedly, the recommendation was made by the Miss Universe discipline and ethics commission.
Rodriguez assured me it was "punctual" behavior and ruled out problems with other candidates. "There has not been any kind of quarrel," she assured Telemetro in exclusive statements. She also informed me that she will continue as Miss Panama.
La Organización Miss Universo anunció el retiro del concurso de Italy Mora, representante de Panamá.
"Esta decisión fue tomada tras una exhaustiva evaluación realizada por nuestra comisión disciplinaria", indica una nota, sin detallar los motivos.
The Miss Universe organization regrets to announce that the Panamanian candidate has withdrawn from the Miss Universe 2024 pageant. Our disciplinary commission made this decision after a thorough evaluation.
The disciplinary committee, charged with maintaining the pageant's integrity and values, conducted a full audit of the matter and, based on the information gathered and reviewed, has concluded that withdrawal is the most appropriate course of action under the current circumstances.
It is important to note that we made this decision with the utmost respect for all parties involved. Our number one priority remains the welfare and transparency of all of our candidates, who exemplify diversity, talent, and dedication.
The Miss Universe organization stresses maintaining confidentiality and respect during this process. Over the years, our pageant has been a beacon of diversity, inclusion, and empowerment for women around the world. Adhering to strong ethical principles, such as confidentiality and respect, is essential to maintaining the integrity of our organization and the well-being of our participants.
Confidentiality is a fundamental pillar of any disciplinary process. By protecting sensitive and personal information, we ensure fairness and equity in our decisions and the dignity of all involved.
As we move forward, we reaffirm our dedication to these principles, inviting all our participants, supporters and media to join us in this commitment. We kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of our Panama candidate during this time and to avoid unnecessary speculation that may negatively affect all parties involved.
