Miss World 2016 has ended already but the fuzz about the results hasn’t!  There is a petition going online where people are asking Miss World Organization to release the scores.  Many internet fans are making fun of Miss Indonesia Natasha Mannuela for her 2^nd runner-up finish, because Liliana Tanoesoedibjo, the national director of Miss World Indonesia was a judge.  People are also questioning Stephanie De Valle’s win because Wilnelia Merced, Miss World 1975 from Puerto Rico is related to Miss World Puerto Rico pageant.  The basic reason for the strong opposition is the shocking exclusion of Catriona Gray, Miss World Philippines from the Top 3 of Miss World 2016.  Many people feel that Catriona was robbed.  We decided to look at both sides of the matter and then try to come up with some conclusion.

Read: Things we liked in Miss World 2016 finals

So why should we believe Catriona Gray was robbed? Please consider the following points in support of the idea:-

• She did wonderful in Miss World pageant since the beginning itself.  She was among the Top 10 finalists in the Talent competition.  She finished 2^nd in the contest, due to Mobstar voting.  She was a Top 5 finalist in Beauty With a Purpose.  Her personality and charm made her a popular contestant, among the other girls as well as the fans.
• The betting agencies had her as the top bet!  She was at the top spot in TGPC’s Final Hotpicks.  Even other pageant portals chose her as their top bet.
• In the finals, she was good.  She looked great in the blush pink gown and gave a nice answer in the last round.  Her supporters claim that her answer was definitely among the three best ones and she deserved to win.
• Forget about winner, she was not even a runner-up!  The winner was a lady who placed in no fast-track!  The 2^nd Runner-up had her national director in the judging panel.  Indonesia may be hosting Miss World soon.  The fashion designers for Top Model were from Kenya, Puerto Rico and Indonesia – the three countries which made Top 5!

Read: Miss World 2016 – If only she was there!

Now let us look at the matter from the other side.

• This is Miss World.  It is not always about the final answer.  If that was the case, Atong Demach would have won in 2012!
• The host made it clear that the Top 20 are competing from scratch and the fast-tracks were just to get spots in Top 20.
• Miss World Indonesia was Top 3 in Top Model and she won Beauty With a Purpose, which is a very important segment of the competition.  Hence she deserves the Top 3 placement.
• Also, Liliana was just ONE of the judges.
• It is not difficult to notice that Stephanie De Valle is a gorgeous girl.  She has the personality and beauty that is desired in the new Miss World.  Her final answer was smart and confident, while Catriona perhaps over-did a bit in eyes of many.
• Catriona’s styling throughout the pageant, especially in the finals, was pretty similar to Megan Young!  The hair-do, the colour of the gown in the finals… We feel she could have experimented  a bit with her hair-style and chose some other colour for the gown.  It could have helped.  No pageant would prefer a winner who is too similar to a very recent winner and that too from same country!
• It doesn’t need to be always about the Philippines!  The country does well in pageants, but there are girls from other countries too who work hard!  At the end of the day, true sportsmanship is in accepting the results with grace.

So both sides are strong and really there is no adequately clear information (read: score-sheets) to confidently pick one of them. We do feel that Catriona could have been a nice choice for at least a runner-up spot but at the same time we acknowledge that Yaritza and Natasha are also deserving.  Let’s just conclude by saying that a Top 5 finish is a wonderful thing too and Catriona has a great future ahead.  She can even try in Binibining Pilipinas next year!  There is so much she must have gained from the experience and there is no end to opportunities for the truly deserving ones.