Miss Iceland Steps Down as Titleholder, Citing Pressure and Accountability Following Miss Universe Withdrawal
Helena O’Connor.
Credit :
Slaven Vlasic/Getty
Helena Hafþórsdóttir O’Connor, the reigning Miss Universe Iceland, has resigned from her position, alleging that she was removed from the Miss Universe competition without her consent while recovering from food poisoning.
In a statement released via her Instagram on December 15, O’Connor declared her contract with the Miss Universe Iceland organization “terminated,” announcing her intention to relinquish the title of Miss Universe Iceland 2025. O’Connor had earned the opportunity to represent Iceland in the Miss Universe pageant after winning the national competition on April 3, with the international event held in Thailand on November 21.
“My situation changed drastically when I suffered from severe food poisoning and was subsequently withdrawn from the competition,” O’Connor stated. According to her, assurances from representatives of the Miss Universe Organization regarding her ability to compete were disregarded, leading to her premature unlisting from the event.
O’Connor claimed the national director acted without her consent, saying, “I had made an arrangement with the Miss Universe Organization that I could get time to recover,” and expressed that her family had also urged the director to allow her time to heal.
In response to O’Connor’s allegations, the Miss Universe Iceland organization strongly refuted her claims, stating she independently and unequivocally communicated her decision to withdraw from the competition. “At no point did Miss Universe Iceland misstate or misrepresent her wishes,” the organization asserted, adding that it had documentation evidencing O’Connor’s intent to withdraw.
O’Connor also reported that she has been informed that a penalty would be imposed if she wished to retain her title, despite claiming that her removal from the competition was unjust. “After returning home from Bangkok, I learned that if I wanted to continue my reign as Miss Iceland, I would have to pay a penalty for not competing,” she wrote, expressing concern about being held accountable for circumstances beyond her control.
The Miss Universe Iceland organization clarified that while there is no penalty for non-participation in the Miss Universe competition, certain obligations remain consistent with retaining the Miss Iceland title, asserting these are not punitive and unrelated to her withdrawal decision.
On November 8, the organization publicly announced O’Connor’s withdrawal, attributing it to her illness. However, O’Connor contested the characterization, indicating that while she had been consulted, the official statement implied she had voluntarily withdrawn, which she denied.
As O’Connor steps down, she joins other beauty queens in resigning amid a tumultuous period for the Miss Universe pageant, which has faced accusations of misconduct and internal strife. The fallout continues as discussions of transparency and fair treatment within the pageantry world come to the forefront.
Helena O’Connor.
Rob Kim/Getty
O’Connor’s resignation reflects a growing trend of discontent among pageant titleholders, as other contestants have also distanced themselves from the organization in recent months. Notably, Olivia Yacé, a top five finalist, and Brigitta Schaback, Miss Universe Estonia, have each resigned amid similar challenges relating to their respective titles.
As the pageant world navigates these controversies, O’Connor’s experience underscores the complexities faced by competitors and advocates for systemic change within the industry.
