Miss Earth Australia 2014 winner stripped of title

MANILA, Philippines –  In a surprising turn of events, the winner of Miss Earth Australia 2014, Dayanna Grageda, was stripped of her title on October 9. This was confirmed by the Miss Earth Australia organizers on their Facebook page.

 

Dayanna was replaced by Nadine Roberts, who was the 3rd runner-up in the pageant.

According to a report from the Daily Telegraph Australia, Dayanna told the Southern Courier that she was heartbroken and devastated by the news.

“I feel heartbroken, I am gutted, I feel sick,” she said. 

“My dreams have been ripped away from me…I earned this title, I won it fairly.’’

According to her Twiter and Facebook profile, Dayanna works as part-time zookeeper and studies psychology at the University of New South Wales.

In the same report, Miss Earth Australia director Roselyn Singh said Dayanna failed to sign the appropriate documentation, which is why she couldn’t attend the pageant to be held in Manila. 

“Miss Earth Australia Organization is required to fulfill its obligation to Miss Earth 2014 – Carousel Production Inc,’’ she said.

“There are protocols, international pageant requirements, dependencies and timeline to manage.

“Despite the communications and various attempts to negotiate, we have certain instructions not being followed, gaps and inconsistencies including refusal from Dayanna Grageda to return a signed official delegate contract which is a non-negotiable and mandatory requirement for the Miss Earth Australia 2014 winner.

“Without signed official delegate contract, Dayanna is unable to hold the crown, Miss Earth Australia 2014 title and/or participate at the Miss Earth 2014 in Philippines.’’

But Dayanna denied this in the same Telegraph report. 

“I was constantly asking to meet her, because I had all my paperwork with me,’’ Dayanna.

“But she never asked me to hand anything to her?

“I had it signed to give to her, she refused to meet with me.’’

In a phone call with Rappler, Lorraine Schuck, Executive Vice-President of Carousel Productions, the company behind Miss Earth, said they are trying to fix the situation.

“Whatever problem they have there is internal. We have no say over it. But we are trying to fix the situation,” she said.

She also confirmed said that she has talked with Dayanna about the matter.

The Miss Earth Beauty Pageant will beheld in Manila on November 29. Miss Cebu City, Jamie Herrell, will represent the country in this year’s Miss Earth pageant. – Rappler.com