▁Gay ▁World ▁CE O ▁Di eter ▁S apper ▁as ▁his ▁spons or , ▁stepped ▁down ▁myster iously ▁to ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁Mr . ▁Gay ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁cit ing ▁" person al ▁changes ". ▁S apper ▁said ▁an ▁internal ▁investigation ▁had ▁taken ▁place ▁into ▁accus ations ▁that ▁the ▁organization ▁had ▁f aked ▁and ▁manip ulated ▁scores , ▁but ▁no ▁reports ▁were ▁made ▁to ▁media . ▁ ▁Since ▁wrapping ▁up ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁run , ▁the ▁competition ▁has ▁seen ▁more ▁negative ▁feedback . ▁The ▁controvers y ▁hit ▁the ▁media ▁when ▁Daily ▁X tra ▁spoke ▁to ▁contest ants . ▁The ▁news ▁source ▁verified ▁messages ▁that ▁appeared ▁to ▁show ▁president ▁Eric ▁But ter ▁calling ▁the ▁M alt ese ▁people ▁" sc um ", ▁and ▁S apper ▁prom ising ▁one ▁contest ant ▁a ▁top ▁ 3 ▁finish ▁before ▁the ▁competition ▁in ▁Mal ta , ▁but ▁changing ▁his ▁tone ▁when ▁he ▁received ▁compla ints ▁about ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁information ▁coming ▁from ▁the ▁organization ▁in ▁the ▁days ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁events . ▁ ▁Despite ▁Daily ▁X tra ' s ▁assertion ▁the ▁documents ▁were ▁verified , ▁But ter ▁denied ▁them ▁and ▁accused ▁X tra ▁and ▁the ▁cor ro bor ating ▁contest ants ▁of ▁a ▁sm ear ▁campaign . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁World ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁competition ▁will ▁move ▁to ▁South ▁Africa ▁from ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁due ▁to ▁prohib ition ▁from ▁local ▁authorities . ▁ ▁Title hold ers ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁International ▁Mr ▁Gay ▁Compet