Miss World contender rejected over vaccination stance: 'MY CHOICE'

Miss World Netherlands has caused a stir online after she said she would not be participating in the upcoming Miss World Pageant because she is not prepared to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Dilay Willemstein, 21, who was recently elected Miss World Netherlands, announced that she would be dropping out of the upcoming Miss World pageant in Puerto Rico because of demands from the organisation that she be vaccinated against Covid.

“After I was crowned [Miss Netherlands], I was told that if you want to go to Miss World you must be vaccinated," she revealed.

Dilay Willemstein will not attend the Miss World Pageant due to its vaccine requirements. Source: Newsflash/ Australscope
Dilay Willemstein will not attend the Miss World Pageant due to its vaccine requirements. Source: Newsflash/ Australscope

She announced to her 20,600 followers on Instagram on Tuesday that she is "not ready to take the shot".

She explained that due to her refusal to be vaccinated the runner up from the miss world Netherlands competition, Lizzy Dobbe, will be taking her place in Puerto Rico on December 16.

The young model from Eindhoven had previously said that winning the pageant was her lifelong dream but she says that with every door that closes new ones open.

She gave more details about how she came to decide to give up on her dream of becoming Miss World.

“I thought about it carefully and considered taking the jab, but at a certain point, I thought I'm not ready for this at all. I don't feel good about it.”

“I did not make the decision overnight. I still had a few months to think about it so I kept putting it off.”

She explained that the organisers eventually told her that she had to get an appointment to be vaccinated but she says she simply could not bring herself to do it.

Dilay does not have any regrets saying: “This was my choice and I stand by it.”

- Newsflash/ Australscope

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