Israel cancels national Miss Universe beauty pageant for first time in 70 years

Competition called off a year after southern resort city of Eilat hosted global event

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu, left, is crowned Miss Universe 2021 by Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza from Mexico during the Miss Universe 2021 pageant in Eilat, Israel. Contestants from 80 countries and territories competed in the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. EPA

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu reacts as the Miss Universe crown is placed on her head by the outgoing Miss Universe Andrea Meza of Mexico, at the Red Sea resort of Eilat in Israel. Reuters

Contestants congratulate Miss Universe 2021 winner Harnaaz Sandhu. Reuters

Miss Universe contestants congratulate Harnaaz Sandhu as she is crowned Miss Universe during the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant. AFP

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu walks on the stage among celebrations after being crowned Miss Universe 2021. EPA

Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu from India speaks to reporters after winning the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant. AFP

Miss Universe second runner-up Lalela Mswane from South Africa reacts during the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant. AFP

The final three Miss Universe contestants, left to right, Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane; Miss India, Harnaaz Sandhu; and Miss Paraguay, Nadia Ferreira, pose on stage during the pageant. AFP

US singer JoJo performs on stage during the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant. AFP

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu during the swimsuit round of the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant. AFP

Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane poses in the evening gown competition during the pageant. AFP

US television host Steve Harvey asks Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu the final question during the 70th Miss Universe pageant. AFP

Miss Universe 2021 contestants pose during the pageant. Reuters

Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza appears during the 70th Miss Universe pageant. AP Photo

Outgoing Miss Universe Andrea Meza of Mexico poses during the event. Reuters

Miss France Clemence Botino poses during the swimsuit round at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. EPA

Miss Puerto Rico Michelle Colon poses during the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. EPA

Miss Colombia Valeria Ayos poses during the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. EPA

Miss USA Elle Smith poses during the Miss Universe pageant. Reuters

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu and at the pageant. AFP

Paraguay's Nadia Ferreira poses during the final round of the 70th Miss Universe pageant. AP Photo

Miss Universe semifinalists pose on stage during the swimsuit competition of the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel's southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat. AFP

US television host Steve Harvey hosts the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant. AFP

Judges Adriana Lima, left, and Lori Harvey at the 70th Miss Universe pageant. AP Photo

For the first time in seven decades, Israel will not send a beauty queen to the Miss Universe pageant, which next takes place on January 14 in New Orleans, US.

The Miss Israel organisation released a statement, saying it would not participate in the pageant, which was founded in 1952.

Local media announced the move on Sunday, with The Times of Israel reporting that opinions in the country were divided on whether or not beauty pageants remain relevant in 2022.

The announcement was made a year after the Israeli southern resort city of Eilat hosted the global pageant, where Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu took home the crown.

Scroll through the gallery above to see the moment Miss Universe 2021 was crowned

Sella Sharlin, who was Miss Israel 2019, told Israel's Radio 103FM on Friday that the competition “gives a lot of tools to anyone who is chosen”, adding that since winning she was able to give lectures to youth and found a “group of associations that deal with financial education for youth”.

She said that while changes could still be made, such as removing the swimsuit segment of the competition, “at the end of the day, this competition gives a platform and a place for women to lead, to initiate, and not necessarily to talk about beauty”.

Sivan Klein, the winner in 2003, meanwhile, said in a video post on the country's Channel 12 website, that she backed the cancellation.

“Queen Elizabeth has died, and now the beauty queen contest is buried,” she said.

Overall, she believes the contest to be “shallow”.

“It asks smart questions of smart women, in a bikini. It places a crown on the head and, at the same time, a ceiling,” she said.

Miss Universe made history in August when it announced it was making one of the biggest changes to its selection process. Starting next year, the annual competition will accept married women and mothers. Previously, only single women, aged between 18 and 28, who had never been married or had children, were allowed to apply.

The new rules will not be in place for the 71st Miss Universe, which has been postponed until January 14, as preliminary pageants have already taken place.

The new date also means two Miss Universe pageants are likely to be held next year — the first in January to crown the 2022 winner and the second one later in the year to crown Miss Universe 2023.

The announcement also effectively extended the reign of current Miss Universe Sandhu. But the longest-reigning Miss Universe is Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, who won the tile in 2019.

Tunzi held her title for 525 days after the 2020 pageant was cancelled owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. She crowned her successor Andrea Meza from Mexico in May 2021, in turn making Meza's the shortest reign in history. Meza passed on her crown to Sandhu at a pageant in Israel in December last year after only 211 days.

The number of countries participating in the pageant changes every year. At the Miss Universe 2021 pageant, 80 countries took part, including first-time contestant Miss Universe Bahrain Manar Nadeem Deyani.

For Miss Universe 2022, organisers are expecting close to 90 countries to participate. A final number will be revealed before the pageant.

Scroll through the gallery below for some of the Miss Universe 2022 contestants crowned so far