Miss Universe 2001

Poland was supposed to be represented by the 1st runner-up of Miss Polonia, Malgorzata Rozniecka. Studies prevented her from going, and the organization picked another finalist, Monika Gruda. Later in September, Malgorzata Rozniecka won the Miss International pageant in Japan. The organization invited Miss Russia 2001, Oxana Fedorova, to attend the pageant, but she was unable to compete due to studies and vowed to participate in 2002. Her 1st runner-up, Oxana Kalandyrets, competed instead and became a top 10 finalist. Fedorova would go on to win the following year's Miss Universe pageant, only to be dethroned and replaced with her runner-up four months later.[1] Miss Spain 2001, Lorena van Heerde Ayala, could not compete in the pageant because she was underage (17 at the time). Her 1st runner-up, Eva Sisó, replaced her. Lorena was supposed then to compete in Miss Universe 2002 as well, but after a threat of lawsuit against the Miss España Organization by her family side due to the breach of contract by the organization,[2] she cut all ties with the Miss España organization and lost the right to represent Spain in any international pageant.[3]

France, Élodie Gossuin who would later win Miss Europe, faced controversy when it was rumoured that she was a transsexual, until a medical examination confirmed that she was a natural-born woman.[4][5][6]

Juliana Borges of Brazil was heavily criticized after openly admitting to the media that she had undergone nineteen plastic surgeries, stating "It's like studying for a math exam and you get good grades... you study and you work hard to have the perfect body". Despite a public outcry she was still allowed to compete.[7]