News24, 16/05/2003 23:10  - (SA)   Sonette Lombaard

Johannesburg - The Miss Universe competition in Panama is starting on a bizarre note. Minutes after arriving in Panama City, one of the beauties was quarantined for a deadly virus and another's first princess had to be called in because the title holder had posed topless for the Russian edition of Playboy.

And to 'crown' it all, Miss Venezuela is still cooling her heels at home, because the organisers in her country cannot pay her entry fee as a result of her country's limits on buying American dollars.

Venezuela, known as the beauty capital of the world, holds the record, 12, for the most titles won in the Miss Universe and Miss World competitions.

Miss Canada, Leanne Marie Cecile, found out that beauty has a price, because she was placed in medical detention as a precaution against severe acute respiratory syndrome shortly after her arrival in Panama City on Thursday.

The beauties from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, where Sars has already claimed numerous lives, were all taken away to be examined by Sars specialists upon their arrival.

These measures form part of special arrangements made to prevent Sars from infiltrating Panama. The 74 competitors had to submit medical certificates saying they didn't have Sars before they were allowed to take part.

If one of the participants show Sars symptoms upon arrival, they will be escorted to a special clinic and they will not be allowed to take part in the competition.

A Russian beauty caused drama the second year running when she was stripped of her title.

It came to light that Maria Smirnowa appeared topless in the Russian edition of Playboy in January 2000. The new Miss Russia is Olesya Bondarenko.

Miss Russia 2002, who became the first Russian to be crowned Miss Universe last year, also became the first title holder to be "disqualified" four months after the ceremony.

Oxana Fedorowa, 24, a member of the St Petersburg police force, was "sacked" because she neglected her duties.

The runner-up, Justine Pasek of Panama, was subsequently crowned Miss Universe and will hand over her crown to the new Miss Universe in her hometown on June 3.

Caracas, May 16 (<a href=quote.bloomberg.com>Bloomberg) -- Miss Venezuela, Mariangel Ruiz, pulled out of the Miss Universe contest because the country's beauty contest organization said it couldn't get the dollars it needs to cover the costs of her competing.

Ruiz will be the first Venezuelan contestant in 44 years to miss the pageant, which has seen four of her compatriots crowned winners. Venezuela is tied with Puerto Rico for second place for the most winners of the contest, trailing only the U.S., which has had six winners since 1959. Contest organizers estimated that Ruiz, 23, needed at least $60,000 to compete in the pageant, which starts next week in Panama.

``Venezuela has a very strong following and the country's absence this year will be deeply felt,'' said Paula Shugart, head of the Miss Universe contest, in a statement supplied by Venevision, which oversees the Miss Venezuela contest.

Miss Venezuela is the latest casualty of Venezuela's decision in January to ban dollar sales to stem a decline in international reserves after a two-month strike cut oil output, which accounted for 43 percent of government revenue last year. Limited dollar sales began in April but only for some foods, medicines and students studying abroad.

Venevision is owned by billionaire Gustavo Cisneros, a vocal critic of President Hugo Chavez.

Beauty pageants are a national obsession in Venezuela, where the Miss Venezuela contest draws more than half of all television viewers.

Last Updated: May 16, 2003 15:26 EDT

Posted on Fri, May. 16, 2003 Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela - For the first time in decades, the country that has won more major beauty pageants in recent years than any other won't be offering a candidate for Miss Universe.

The Miss Venezuela Organization said Friday that the country's strict foreign exchange controls, imposed amid a general strike earlier this year, have made it unable to obtain the dollars to send a candidate to the June 3 pageant in Panama.

"The decision not to send Miss Venezuela to this prestigious international contest came after we exhausted all our efforts to send our usual and always distinguished representative," the organization said in a statement on its Web site. "But the serious political and economic crisis Venezuela is going through has posed an obstacle insurmountable for the moment."

Miss Venezuela president Osmel Sousa said Tuesday that his organization needed $80,000 for the franchise fee to send Mariangel Ruiz, a tall, 23-year-old brunette, to Miss Universe. The organization has the funds in the local bolivar currency but is not able exchange them into dollars.

Edgar Hernandez, the president of the government agency in charge of authorizing dollar sales, said he was not aware that the organization had applied for the dollars.

Hernandez said he was looking into it and would consider granting the funds if the organization submitted an application.

Asked if an application had been submitted, officials at Miss Venezuela sponsor Venevision television declined to comment.

In the past 24 years, the Miss Venezuela Organization's contestants have won the three most important international beauty contests 12 times - more than any other country.

Venezuela has won four Miss Universe crowns, five Miss World crowns and three Miss International titles. The last time Venezuela didn't participate in Miss Universe was 1959.

In January, President Hugo Chavez's government imposed strict foreign exchange controls to stop panic dollar buying and protect its depleting international reserves amid a failed general strike to try to force his ouster.

The controls have prevented most private businesses from obtaining dollars. The government had granted $155 million since Jan. 21, compared with Venezuela's usual monthly demand of $1 billion.

---_ On the Net: www.missvenezuela.com

Friday, May 16, 2003 Posted: 1721 GMT ( 1:21 AM HKT) Miss Venezuela Ruiz won't make it to Miss Universe pageant. The country's absence this year will be deeply felt. -- Paula Shugart, president, Miss Universe pageant

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN-Reuters) -- Venezuela's tight foreign exchange controls have stopped the South American country's candidate from competing in the Miss Universe beauty pageant, her main sponsor said Thursday.

Venezuela's private television channel Venevision said Miss Venezuela -- brown-haired Mariangel Ruiz -- would not attend the Miss Universe contest in Panama on June 3 because they were unable to obtain the hard currency needed to send her.

Venevision, which traditionally sponsors the country's candidates, sent a letter on Thursday to the president of the Miss Universe Organization, Paula Shugart, advising her that Ruiz would not be going.

"We are all saddened that Mariangel Ruiz (Miss Venezuela 2003) will not be participating. Venezuela has a very strong following and the country's absence this year will be deeply felt," Shugart responded in a statement sent to Reuters by Venevision.

Venezuelan women have had a remarkable success in such contests, winning four Miss Universe crowns, five Miss World crowns and three Miss International crowns.

Left-wing President Hugo Chavez introduced stringent foreign exchange controls more than three months ago to stem heavy capital flight and a slide in the bolivar currency triggered by an opposition strike in December and January.

Ruiz told Globovision television she was still hoping a last-minute arrangement could allow her to compete in Panama. "I represent a dream and a hope for Venezuela," she said.

Thu May 15, 9:14 PM ET

CARACAS, Venezuela (<a href=story.news.yahoo.com>Reuters) - Venezuela's tight foreign exchange controls have stopped the South American country's candidate from competing in the Miss Universe (news - web sites) beauty pageant, her main sponsor says.

Venezuela's private television channel Venevision said on Thursday that Miss Venezuela -- brown-haired Mariangel Ruiz -- would not attend the Miss Universe contest in Panama on June 3 because they were unable to obtain the hard currency needed to send her.

Venevision, which traditionally sponsors the country's candidates, sent a letter on Thursday to the president of the Miss Universe Organisation, Paula Shugart, advising her that Ruiz would not be going.

"We are all saddened that Mariangel Ruiz (Miss Venezuela 2003) will not be participating. Venezuela has a very strong following and the country's absence this year will be deeply felt," Shugart responded in a statement sent to Reuters by Venevision.

Venezuelan women have had a remarkable success in such contests, winning four Miss Universe crowns, five Miss World (news - web sites) crowns and three Miss International crowns.

Left-wing President Hugo Chavez introduced stringent foreign exchange controls more than three months ago to stem heavy capital flight and a slide in the bolivar currency triggered by an opposition strike in December and January.

Ruiz told Globovision television she was still hoping a last-minute arrangement could allow her to compete in Panama. "I represent a dream and a hope for Venezuela," she said.