Mia Le Roux: Is THIS the reason she pulled out of Miss Universe?

Pageant insiders have suggested that Miss SA Mia Le Roux’s decision to withdraw from the Miss Universe pageant was caused by a severe bout of vertigo.

The country’s first profoundly deaf beauty queen announced her exit from the competition just one day before the grand finale on Saturday, 16 November.

MIA LE ROUX’S MISS UNIVERSE EXIT EXPLAINED

On Friday, South Africans woke up to the sad news that Mia Le Roux had officially withdrawn from the Miss Universe pageant.

According to Miss SA organisers, the eleventh-hour exit was due to “health concerns.”

Mia was the first profoundly deaf representative to compete at Miss Universe, which will take place in Mexico City on Saturday. 

According to the Miss Universe South Africa social media account – a fan page for the Miss SA pageant – Mia Le Roux’s withdrawal was due to vertigo, which is often associated with hearing loss.

It tweeted: “Mia, because of her condition within the past two weeks, has been suffering from severe vertigo. As we are all aware, deafness affects balance, and the decision to withdraw was not an easy one. 

“And though our queen got the best support from MUO, vertigo posed a severe health risk for her further participation.”

CHALLENGES AS MISS SA

Throughout her Miss SA journey to the crown, Mia Le Roux has emphasised that she is “differently abled” and not disabled.

The 28-year-old – who was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at just one year old –  stated that she learned to speak as a young girl after attending a school for deaf students and by undergoing years of speech therapy.

As Miss SA, she faced certain challenges. However, she was confident that she could overcome them.

She told The Sowetan about her communication style: “I cannot communicate in crowded rooms, as everything becomes one noise.

“One-on-one is better and clear. There is also no need to over-enunciate. Just speak clear; look at me in the face so I can read your lips.”

WHAT IS VERTIGO?

According to the Ear Institute of South Africa, vertigo – the sensation of dizziness – is associated with hearing loss.

This is because the inner ear controls all aspects of movement, which means any disruption in that little cavity can disrupt a person’s ability to walk or balance properly.

Mia Le Roux could likely have also suffered from these symptoms of vertigo:

• Lightheadedness
• Loss of Balance
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
• A feeling of fullness in the ear