Miss France May be Stripped of Crown

　　Miss France 2004 risks being stripped of her title after revealing pictures of her were published in the May edition of Playboy, the contest's organiser, Genevieve de Fontenay, said yesterday.

　　Saying she was "shocked and devastated" by the publication of the semi-nude pictures of Laetitia Bléger, Ms de Fontenay said an extraordinary disciplinary committee meeting "within the next few days" would decide on an appropriate response towards the 24-year-old flight attendant.

　　She added that the competition's rules stated clearly that "no photographs that could in any way be deemed licentious" could be published of a Miss France during the year of her coronation or five years afterwards. Anyone found guilty of breaching the rules could be relieved of her crown and made to return her prizes.

　　"We cannot let this go," Ms de Fontenay said. "Miss France has a certain status that must be defended."

　　Ms Bléger was not available for comment last night and her website was closed.