A social media post by Finland’s representative to last month’s Miss Universe pageant has triggered widespread outrage across East Asia, escalating into a political controversy in Finland and even drawing in the country’s national airline, according to the BBC.
Sarah Dzafce, 22, who competed at the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, shared an Instagram photo of herself pulling the corners of her eyes, accompanied by the caption “eating with a Chinese”. The gesture is widely regarded as racist and offensive towards East Asians.
The image quickly went viral, prompting strong condemnation in Japan, South Korea and China. Amid mounting backlash, the Miss Finland Organisation stripped Dzafce of her title, calling the move “difficult but necessary”.
“Miss Finland holds a role-model position that requires respect for all people regardless of origin, background or appearance,” the organisation said in a statement. “We deeply apologise for the harm caused, especially to the Asian community. Racism is never acceptable.”
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo weighed in on Monday, describing the gesture as “thoughtless and stupid” and saying the controversy had damaged Finland’s international reputation.
Dzafce has denied any racist intent, telling Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat that she was reacting to a headache during dinner and that a friend had added the caption without her permission. She later issued an apology on Instagram, saying she never intended to offend and that respect for others was important to her.
However, the apology — written in Finnish — drew further criticism online, with many questioning its sincerity. Some commenters said the harm caused to Asian communities had not been adequately addressed.
The controversy deepened after two Finnish right-wing MPs, Juho Eerola and Kaisa Garedew, posted photos mimicking the same eye gesture, claiming they were showing support for Dzafce. Both later deleted the posts following public backlash.
Eerola apologised, saying he felt Dzafce had been punished too harshly, while Prime Minister Orpo criticised the MPs’ actions as “childish” and said lawmakers should set a better example. The Finns Party is now considering possible disciplinary action against the two MPs.
Finnair was also pulled into the fallout after reports that the controversy had led to calls for a boycott of Finland. In a statement posted on its Japanese X account, the airline stressed that the MPs’ actions did not reflect its values.
“As an airline serving customers around the world and supported by employees from diverse backgrounds, we welcome everyone with respect,” Finnair said.
In Japan, a Japanese resident in Finland launched a petition calling for an investigation into anti-Asian discrimination, which had garnered more than 7,000 signatures by Sunday evening. The Finnish embassy in Japan confirmed it had received numerous queries about the issue.
“Racism remains a challenge in Finnish society, and addressing it requires sustained and determined efforts,” the embassy said in a social media post.
The incident has become an international flashpoint in Japan, South Korea and China, adding to the controversies surrounding the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, which had already been overshadowed by walkouts and allegations of rigging.
