The young woman admitted that the situation has been very difficult for her.
The winner of the "Miss Finland" contest, Sara Jafcic, has been stripped of her title, representatives of the organizing committee announced at a press conference. The decision was made jointly with Jafcic herself.
The crown and title were passed to the first runner-up, Tara Lehtonen, who was officially crowned at the same event.
The scandal was sparked by accusations of racism. A photograph circulated on the Jodel service, in which Jafcic is seen pulling her eyelids with her fingers to make her eyes appear slanted. The caption read: "having lunch with a Chinese person."
The photo was deemed racist, and it was believed that Jafcic was mocking Asians.
The young woman admitted that the situation has been very difficult for her.
"I deeply regret that my actions on social media have hurt or offended anyone," she said at the press conference, according to the newspaper Iltalehti.
Previously, Jafcic apologized on Instagram but did not specify what exactly she was apologizing for. Many social media users found this apology insufficient, as it only addressed the hurt caused, rather than the action itself.
The Miss Suomi organization emphasized that it does not tolerate racism or discriminatory behavior in any form. The statement noted that the contest's activities are based on principles of respect, equality, responsibility, and human dignity, and these values are non-negotiable.
Sara Jafcic was born in Oulu and currently lives in Kuopio. Her father is from Kosovo, and her mother is Finnish.
