Miss Universe Pageant officials Wednesday denied reports that Alicia Machado is in danger of losing her crown because she has gained too much weight.
"I just saw her yesterday and she looked beautiful," pageant spokeswoman Wooten Lee said. The reports "are completely absurd."U.S. and Venezuelan media reported recently that the pageant ordered the 19-year-old beauty to shed 20 pounds in two weeks or lose her title.
Machado was in Las Cruces, N.M., Wednesday preparing to be the featured guest at the Miss USA Teen Pageant, to be broadcast nationwide Wednesday night. She could not immediately be reached for comment.
At 5 feet 7 inches tall, Machado weighed 113 pounds when she won the Miss Universe crown in Las Vegas on May 17. She dropped 18 pounds before the competition.
Media reports said she now weighs 130 pounds, perhaps because of her confessed weakness for chocolate, pasta and corn pancakes.