A police investigation into the alleged pepper spray sabotage of Miss Puerto Rico’s clothing, apparently due to fierce competition between beauty contestants, has come up with negative results.

Miss Puerto Rico Universe Ingrid Marie Rivera will probably have some explaining to do as her complaints that her clothes and makeup were laden with pepper spray during a Nov. 24 pageant in San Juan prompted local police to investigate – finding nothing.

Reuters reports that the Caribbean Island's Forensic Sciences Institute stated Friday that the beauty queen’s brush and gown, allegedly full of pepper spray in an attempt to sabotage her participation in the contest, had been tested and showed no signs of capsicum, the active ingredient in pepper spray.

The institute said the items had been delivered for testing four days after the alleged incident.

Police will now investigate whether ay of the claims made in the case are false.

The 24-year-old Rivera, from the town of Dorado, claimed she broke out in hives and swelling during the pageant; she initially considered it some sort of allergic reaction and then began to suspect there was foul play. She was forced to apply ice bags to her face and body to contain the swelling.

“I guess she has a lot of explaining to do,” police spokesman Stephen Alvarez said on Saturday, reports Reuters.

Police Superintendent Pedro Toledo said he would investigate whether anyone provided false information to his detectives, which would be a felony. Reuters adds that the police complaint was filed by the pageant's security director. Rivera has not given any statements to police investigators.

Rivera’s belongings were not tested for other chemicals. Magali Febles, the director of the beauty pageant, told Reuters the sabotage was real and that she would request further tests for other substances from the authorities.

Rivera went through much more during the Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant though – organizers said her bags, containing clothing, makeup and credit cards, were stolen.

She said she went through the ordeal with stoicism. “At one point, I asked, Am I a masochist? But I said regardless of the results, this is my goal,” People magazine quotes Rivera as saying. “The more rocks there are in my path, the more thanks I will give to God for sustaining me.”

Ingrid Rivera, now Miss Puerto Rico 2008, will compete at the Miss Universe 2008 pageant to be held in Nha Trang, Vietnam, next summer.