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Disqualified Miss Universe tells the story (Xinhua) Updated: 2006-04-01 17:33
The disqualified "winner" of the "Miss Universe" competition in China has
lashed out at the organizers.
Twenty-two-year-old Qi Fang, a junior
university student awarded the title of "Miss Universe China" on March 23,
fending off challenges from 48 other candidates, was only to see the title being
taken away from her six days after a so-called violation of the rules of her
contract.
 Qi Fang | In response,
Qi has revealed to media the rules of the contract that "astonished" her. The
rules, drawn up by the local organizer, required Qi to disclose all details of
her relatives and friends, and to meet with her parents and even her boyfriend
with an appointed assistant by her side.
"What is most intolerable is
that they said I should sleep with the assistant in a single room," Qi said,
adding the organizer even refused to offer her the original text of the
contract.
After Qi raised her doubt and objection over the rules, the
local organizer deleted the relevant content from the contract yet moved onto
another regulation on March 28.
With the threat of her title being taken
away, Qi signed the contract. But she immediately regretted her decision and
requested further discussions. Several hours later, Qi's title was canceled.
"It is common practice that a broker in beauty contests hires a
bodyguard and an assistant for the winner, but no such rules have ever been seen
before," said Yang Su, a veteran broker in the star-making industry. On March 1,
he quitted from the "Miss Universe" China Company Ltd. as executive director.
"Miss Universe", one of the three most renowned beauty contests, was
initiated in the United States some 50 years ago. The annual contest is designed
to show and highlight the beauty, intelligence and love of women worldwide.
Yang Su participated in the whole course of the selection in China last
year. "The champion last year did not sign any additional contract, only a
contract clarifying her duty and rights," he said.
He pointed out that
the dispute between the two sides reflects a disordered trade in beauty
contests, and also the lack of regulations and supervision. According to him,
China so far has no relevant trade organizations or regulations.
A local
lawyer unwilling to give his name said that there are some flaws in the making
and signing the contract.
Although there are no specific statistics on
the commercial value of the beauty contest, the insiders believed that the
beauty industry represented by model contest generated no less than 5 billion
yuan (around 600 million U.S. dollars) annually, which explains why China has
seen a booming beauty industry.
According to Yang Su, the local
organizer was registered in Hong Kong and permitted by the U.S. headquarters to
run the "Miss Universe" regional contest on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and
Macao.
Latest reports say the organizers have given the championship to
Gao Yinghui, the original second prize winner of the contest. This means that
Gao will replace Qi to attend the global contest on behalf of
China.
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