ACCESS EXCLUSIVE: Miss Universe Will Not Lose Crown Following Topless Photos Surfacing

Access Hollywood - August 6, 2008 6:33 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza will retain her crown despite a host of nearly topless modeling photos of the pageant queen, which surfaced this week.

"Dayana Mendoza is not in jeopardy of losing the title of Miss Universe," Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization told Access Hollywood in an exclusive statement.

In fact, the Miss Universe Organization president said that Mendoza's photographs had artistic merit.

[ Access Extended: Miss USA Talks Life After Pageant - Play it Now ]

"We embrace and respect her success as a model and the artistic beauty captured in these photographs," the statement concluded.

The photos in question show Dayana topless with her arms covering most of chest.

This is not the first time scandal has rocked the Trump-Organization owned pageant world. In December 2006, Miss USA Tara Conner caused a stir in the pageant world after she entered rehab for drug and alcohol use. Trump allowed her to keep the crown after receiving treatment.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
Model Mania - Check Out the Photos
Miss Puerto Rico Sticks To Her Sabotage Story - Play it Now
Tara Conner - Check Out the Photos

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comments 1-10 of 16  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • margenbubb
    Everyones' opinion is valid but at least get the facts straight. She's from Venezuela not Mexico.
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 11:13 AM PDT
  • Okay this is fair how??? They sure did kick out Vanessa Williams and gave thatother white drunk chick a chance. Oh I'm sorry I forgot Donald Trump had a hand in that one.
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 9:49 AM PDT
  • Hater Fuel
    SWEET T STFU NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR WHINY BULLSH1T RACIAL CONSIPIRACY CRAP BESIDES THE PHOTOS HAD ARTISTIC MERIT OR DID YOU JUST GLOSS OVER THAT PART LIKE EVERY OTHER WHINY LITTLE B1TCH OUT THERE TRYING TO PUSH THEIR OWN AGENDA
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 9:27 AM PDT
  • KEPSITREAL
    they had no problem getting rid of vanessa williams...and they say there is NO racisism yeah right!!! these mexicans are taking over!
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 9:20 AM PDT
  • pat Riot
    blackie go to black barber. whitie go to white barber. thats not racism!! It's natural selection. spend time wisely
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 8:49 AM PDT
  • Precious C
    I think they've got a point about race, it's just a fact. No need to get mad, it's the way things have been for a very long time. Black people do get treated differently a lot of the time, that's why they always bring it up. If you're not black, you couldn't know. Did you see CNN's 'Black in America'?? YOu should
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 8:44 AM PDT
  • Lisa V
    Race will never not be an issue because of stupid people like you who speak out of their ass!!! Trut.... black people are the first to turn any incident into a race issue!! Get over it.... its a pagent, not a rally for white people to make black/mexican people suffer!!!
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 8:27 AM PDT
  • Skippy
    Hey sweet T correct me if I am wrong but each of the individuals you so "colorfully" described almost lost their crowns and now miss universe is keeping hers so what are you babbling about it seems like the exact same thing happened to each person. I wish stupidity had a color then I could call myself a racists. get a clue
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 8:26 AM PDT
  • Skippy
    what are you talking about "the truth" its not the miss usa pagent its the miss universe. how in the world did you turn this into a racial issue. What a joke. by the way the Janet thing happened on primetime TV with kids and families watching the superbowl. the miss universe picture were on the web and you had a choice to click or not.
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 8:20 AM PDT
  • Skippy
    what are you talking about "the truth" its not the miss usa pagent its the miss universe. how in the world did you turn this into a racial issue. What a joke. by the way the Janet thing happened on primetime TV with kids and families watching the superbowl. the miss universe picture were on the web and you had a choice to click or not.
    report abuseposted August 6, 2008 8:20 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 16  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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