Why one contestant on El Desafío said she would rather resign than fulfill punishment

The tests of The Box Challenge not only measure the contestants' sporting ability, but throughout the development of the competition the emotions, problems of coexistence and personal opinions, especially in the 'Prize or Punishment Challenges'. In these challenges the winners do not only benefit from money and the enjoyment of a party or good experience, but the punishments go to whatever team the winners decide.

The first punishment of the second season in the 'City of the Boxes' was to shave two men and one woman from a team. On this occasion, Alpha decided to punish Gamma and, although his men have no problem with shaving, none of the women want to do so and they are thinking of leaving the competition.

When they arrived at the Orange House to communicate to others that the punishment was going to them. In saying it, Maleja, the captain, said that she was stepping aside and “I'm retiring from the Challenge.” However, his teammates prevented him from doing so and reminded him that it had not yet been decided who would take up the challenge, so they suggested that he wait.

At first, Skirla and another of Gamma's male contestants decided to shave themselves, but on the women's side, all four (Maleja, Emily, Fernanda and Karol) flatly refused. So everything was decided randomly, Skirla took four branches and whoever took the shortest one, had to take the punishment.

“Maleja is already sure that if it is her turn she will leave, but that does not mean that she will not compete. Everyone must participate and take on,” Skirla explained.

At the time of removing the branches, Maleja pulled out the shortest stick, so by decision of the team he had to shave himself. However, his words were, “ready, he gave up the Challenge.” Again, her companions tried to convince her not to.

The Gamma captain's reasons for retiring were that “I have a life outside the Challenge. My job depends on my physical appearance, and that's where my job is.” In addition, she revealed that one of her sisters has cancer, which is why she has lost her hair due to chemotherapy and she once wanted to donate her hair to her.

The defiant began to cry inconsolably over this and added “I am a crappy drug addict** who is manifesting her dream”. This is because on the first day she told her fellow Gamma housemates that in her youth she approached drugs and became addicted to them, became a person in street condition and lived in 'The Bronx'.

It was precisely one of her sisters who saved her from the streets, “at her house I found an exercise bike, I was so eager to return to drugs that I got on the bike to think about other things”. She explained that in sports she found her own salvation and thus became a professional athlete.

Finally, the episode closed with the doubt whether Maleja will resign, or will accept the advice of his peers and decide to remain in the competition, but without hair.

In context: Tarzan, from 'The Box Challenge', assured that he would give up the competition if they touch his hair

The 28-year-old from Bogota also revealed that her current work activity is a model for internet entertainment. Sánchez also has a sportswear brand called 'Bestial- The cult of the athlete'.

Maria Alejandra grew up in a popular neighborhood of Bogotá with her mother and sisters. Sport saved her life from drug addiction, so she wants an example of discipline, self-love, growth and self-improvement for young people from vulnerable populations, who like her felt abandoned, rejected and without opportunities.

Finally, two interesting facts about the Bogotá athlete is that she loves salsa and reggae. And his idols are: Dr. Carlos Jaramillo, Falcao, Cuadrado and Joe Arroyo.

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