Miss World Pageant Bans Bikini in Future Competitions

Days after Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss was announced as the winner of Miss World 2014, the pageant’s organization has decided to ban swimsuit portion on future competitions. Swimsuit portion has been one of the most popular rounds in Miss World pageant in 63 years.

National Director of Miss World America/Miss United States organization Chris Wilmer told ABC News, “The organization has decided to take itself out of the swimsuit world because it isn’t the path they’re trying to take. It’s not just a beauty contest, it’s ‘beauty with a purpose.’ There didn’t seem to be a purpose to have the swimsuit.”

The organization wanted future contestants of Miss World to focus on charity work and raise awareness to worthy causes. “Miss World should be a spokesperson who can help a community. She’s more of an ambassador, not a beauty queen,” Chris said, “It’s more about the outreach and what a woman could do with a title like Miss World.”

The organization planned to replace the bikini portion with a beachwear round. “It’ll be more of a fashion competition than a bikini show,” Chris added. It also plans to add more challenge events like sports, dance, talent, top model gown, Beauty with a Purpose video and some interviews.

“I salute the miss world organization for their efforts to try and modernize,” Chris told the site, “Pageantry is an age old industry and I think with Julia getting rid of swimsuit and making it more of a lifestyle competition sends a strong message and I applaud her for it.”

The elimination of the bikini portion was first announced by Miss World Chairwoman Julia Morley. Speaking to Elle, Julia said, “I really don’t want-I don’t need to see women just walking up and down in bikinis. It doesn’t do anything for the woman. And it doesn’t do anything for any of us. I don’t care if someone has a bottom two inches bigger than someone else’s. We are really not looking at her bottom. We are really listening to her speak.”