Bikini Round To Be Scraped Out Of Next Miss World Pageant after Muslim Protests in Indonesia

 

Miss World is synonymous with scantily clad women strutting their stuff on stage.

But this year the pageant will be significantly more subdued, after organisers announced that they are scrapping the traditional bikini round in a bid to avoid offending the Muslim hosts.

The contest, which will crown a global beauty queen chosen from 137 participants, will take place in September on the island of Bali in Indonesia.

 The area plays host to millions of foreign tourists every year, and is known for its idyllic beaches where Western visitors are frequently to be seen sporting skimpy swimwear.

However, Indonesia is a predominantly Islamic country, with more than 200million Muslims living in the South-East Asian nation.

The country’s top Islamic body, the Indonesian Ulema Council, has called for the Miss World pageant to be cancelled.

And in a nod to conservative public opinion, organisers have decided that the contestants will not wear bikinis during the ‘beach fashion’ round of the event.

Instead, they will cover up with garments such as sarongs which avoid revealing the body shape.

Julia Morley, chair of the Miss World Organisation, told AAP that the decision was taken in order to show ‘respect’ for the hosts and other participating countries.

‘I don’t want to upset or get anyone in a situation where we are being disrespectful,’ she said.

‘We treasure respect for all the countries that take part in the pageant.’

The decision comes after a series of controversies surrounding Western singers performing in Indonesia.

Last year Lady Gaga cancelled a concert in the country when radical Islamists threatened to burn down the venue where she was performing in protest at her outlandish outfits.