A 22-year-old student who was crowned Miss Belgium has revealed she was hit with a wave of racist abuse after winning the title, with critics claiming she was “not Belgian enough” because of her African roots.
The backlash emerged after Olga Lombardo won the Miss Belgium 2026 title, with hostile comments appearing on social media just hours following the announcement on 8th March.
Olga, a second-year master’s student in pharmaceutical sciences at KU Leuven, was born in Gabon and moved to Belgium when she was five years old after her parents relocated to the country.
Her father is Belgian with Italian roots and her mother is originally from Gabon.
Soon after her victory, Olga said she was confronted with racist remarks online, including comments referring to her as “Miss Africa” and questioning whether she should represent Belgium.
Responding to the abuse, Olga said the criticism had not shaken her.
She said: “They call me ‘Miss Africa’, but the crown is still on my head.”
Olga also said it was notable that even figures from the far right had publicly condemned the racist reactions directed at her.
The new Miss Belgium grew up in Brussels and describes herself as fully Belgian.
She explained that she was raised speaking French at home but attended Dutch-language schooling, making her bilingual in the country’s two main languages.
Olga said she entered the Miss Belgium competition after seeing an advertisement on Instagram and being encouraged by friends and family to apply.
During her year as Miss Belgium, she is expected to represent the country at international pageants including Miss World and Miss Universe.
She also plans to support charitable initiatives, including the Pelicano foundation, which helps children living in poverty.
