Location and date In February 1973, Puerto Rican government officials announced that they would be ending the $1 million contract to bring Miss Universe and Miss USA to the island until 1976. Officials said the agreement was illegal, and Miss Universe President Harold Glasser said it was only a technical-legal nature. According to Glasser, the real reason the agreement was terminated was because "pageants are victims of political infighting" and pageant sponsors have remained neutral in the debate over Puerto Rico's political status. The pro-statehood administration of Gov. Luis A. Ferre signed the contract to sponsor the pageants, but an anti-statehood administration led by Gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon took office on January 2. Although the search for a venue for Miss Universe is still ongoing, the pageant will still push through on July 21, according to Glasser. On May 10, the Miss Universe Inc. announced that the 22nd edition would be held in Athens from July 11 to July 21. According to Glasser and Chrysanthos Demetriadis, president of the Greek National Tourist Organization, the competition will be broadcast in more than 30 countries.
Selection of participants Contestants from sixty-one countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant.
Debuts, returns, and, withdrawals This edition saw the debut of Cyprus, and the returns of Ceylon, which last competed in
1970; and Lebanon, Nicaragua, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago which last competed in
1971. Cyprianna Munnings of the Bahamas withdrew in order to join the celebration of her country's independence from the United Kingdom. Katrin Gisladóttir of Iceland withdrew for health reasons. Mary Núñez of Peru was not allowed by her government to participate due to the weak diplomatic relations with the United States and Peru. Ecuador, Iraq, and Zaire withdrew from the competition after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate. ==Results==