Uzbekistan Government Denounces Country's Miss World Contestant As Impostor

Rakhima Ganieva
(Image: Radio Free Europe)

Who watches or even cares about beauty pageants? Well, don't be so quick to dismiss these events. It's not as if supposedly "sophisticated" fashion runway displays of young flesh offer Rhodes Scholars in new outfits. As for intellectual distinction, do you really think an ambitious, egotistical, shallow fashionista has more insight into world affairs than the anonymous figures who manage beauty pageants?

Yet, beauty pageants have rightly been perceived as meritless, low-brow spectacles. Some parts of the world, however, do care rather passionately about these public displays of female beauty. (Venezuela comes to mind.) With heightened psychological stakes come the inevitable impulse to cheat.

This year's Miss World contest is witnessing a unique attempt to fool the audience and judges. According to a story in the UK newspaper The Telegraph, the current contestant from Uzbekistan is allegedly an impostor. One Rakhima Ganieva has claimed the title "Miss Uzbekistan" and has attempted to enter the Miss World competition. Alas, the Uzbek government and its associated cultural institutions have denied any knowledge of the young woman's crown. In fact, according to the Telegraph article, "Uzbek officials say that no competition to select a Miss Uzbekistan has ever been held."