Miss Universe Indonesia removes minimum height requirement for candidates
The Miss Universe organization in Indonesia just made a significant change in their competition rules: the minimum height requirement for candidates has now been lifted.
In a statement issued by national director and owner Poppy Capella, the change came about after the organization's provincial directors had conducted their respective local competitions at an earlier stage and selected several individuals who do not meet the previous minimum height requirement.
"These events were organized in good faith, and it would be unjust to disqualify their winners based on a criterion that can be considered non-essential," Capella explained.
"In order to uphold the integrity of our local competitions and to accommodate all the winners from the provincial level, I have decided to remove the minimum height requirement," she continued.
They are now revising the guidelines to eliminate the height requirement across all stages of the competition.
Capella clarified, however, that the change is not merely a response to the outcomes of the early-stage provincial events, but a "reflection of [the organization's] commitment to inclusivity at both the provincial and national levels."
In the Philippines, local pageants traditionally set the height requirement at five feet and four inches for its contestants. However, Miss Universe Philippines lifted the height requirement for entrants aspiring to join the competition in 2021.
The grand coronation for the Miss Universe 2023 pageant will be held in El Salvador on Nov. 18 this year, where R'Bonney Gabriel of the United States is set to crown her next successor at the end of the event.