Who is Miss Ukraine 2018 winner Veronika Didusenko and why was she stripped of her title?
VERONIKA DIDUSENKO was at the centre of attention after winning the Miss Ukraine competition in 2018.
She then caused some controversy after she was stripped of her title just hours after she was crowned, but what else do we know about the model?
Who is Miss Ukraine 2018 winner Veronika Didusenko?
Veronika Didusenko is a Ukrainian model born in the capital city of Kyiv on the 12 July 1995.
The 24-year-old was very athletic from an early age, taking up ballroom dancing and attending various sports clubs. She also excelled in school where she was a straight-A student.
The Ukrainian started modelling at the tender age of 18, claiming she only got into the profession 'by chance' as she was scouted by her neighbour who worked for one of the best modelling agencies in the country.
The mother-of-one has an impressive portfolio that includes working in Paris, Milan and London with brands such as Maison Margiela, Escada, Pat McGrath and John Galliano.
Veronika is the celebrity face of Zarina, one of Ukraine's biggest jewellery companies.
In September 2018, Didusenko, 24, won Miss Ukraine and was supposed to go on to represent her country at Miss World before she was disqualified.
One of the reasons why she won the crown was due to her charity project called Young Einsteins Ukraine, helping the youngsters in her country to excel.
Why was Veronika stripped of her Miss Ukraine crown?
Just hours after winning the competition, Veronika was stripped of her Miss Ukraine crown.
The reason given was that women are prohibited from entering the Miss World competition if they have children.
, this is because they entrants who are free and able to commit, often at short notice, to travel globally in support of the sick and disadvantaged which may be for long periods of time, often to areas devastated by natural disasters.
The Ukrainian who was aware of the ruling, still applied for the competition anyway.
Her crown was instead given to 20-year-old Leonila Guz and she went on to represent Ukraine at Miss World 2018.
Is Veronika Didusenko suing Miss World?
It has been revealed that Veronika Didusenko is going to take legal action by suing Miss World for not only having a son but also because she is divorced.
Veronika claims bosses of the UK-owned Miss World franchise are in breach of the Equalities Act 2010 and has demanded they change their “outdated” entry rules.
She said: “It was really humiliating when I was disqualified. I was very upset. I had to hand back the title, the crown and prize money."
The Ukrainian added: “I couldn’t believe they would do such a thing in this day and age. “Why does having a son and being previously married disqualify me? It’s shocking.”
Her human rights lawyer Ravi Naik, of ITN solicitors in London, said: “It is a clear case of discrimination.”
The Miss World Organisation have issued this statement .
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