You can add Canada to the list of countries that don't like it. I put a lot of time and effort into the planning of the competition. When people register and don't show, i have essentially planned for them to come and it throws things off. Name tags have been printed, all your score cards are printed, your time at the timing stations allocated, you've been added to the heats and printed out, etc.
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Oh, and we, too, often have free pizza after the competition for all competitors and their guests. And not cheap, gross pizza, the good stuff. Usually about 10 different kinds!