The stunning runner-up of Miss Universe Sao Paulo has accused the organising body of racism, claiming that staff were rude to her and always asked her to stand at the back for photos.
The contest took place in the city of Ribeirao Preto in the south-eastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo on Saturday, 2nd October, with gorgeous actress Ieda Favo, age unknown, coming second.
However, despite her joy at doing so well in the contest, Favo, who was representing the city of Guarulhos, took to Instagram to tell her 15,600 followers she had been mistreated.
In the video posted yesterday (Thursday, 7th October), the actress said: “Horrible things happened, and that’s why I’m here, because I don’t want them to happen to other people.”
Favo denied she was bitter about being pipped to the top spot, telling her followers: “Just to be clear, I’m not interested in the sash, I’m not interested in the crown.”
The actress alleged the mistreatment, which she said took place during the confinement period over the days preceding the event, was not meted out to the other candidates.
She said in her video, which has been viewed 37,100 times at the time of writing: “They were always asking me to stand at the back, in the background, for photos and videos.”
Favo wondered aloud why she had, in her opinion, been singled out for “rude” and “hostile” treatment. She asked: “Was it because of my skin? Because I’m black? Was it because of my social status? Was it because of my hometown?”
Favo also revealed that her hair products, which had been requested in advance, only arrived a few hours before the live broadcast.
She also said she was grabbed brusquely during the broadcast by the choreographer, something she said happened to no other candidate.
Favo also claimed she was the only candidate to be asked a question on live TV that had not appeared on the list of questions previously sent to the participants.
It is unclear if Favo has filed a police report over her treatment. Under Brazilian law, racism is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
The winners of the state Miss Universe contests will later compete in Miss Universe Brazil.
