WHat the person in question did (enter a oturnament and immediately go on a 30 day vacation) is a blatant abuse of the vacation privelage. One should not sign up for a tournament if he kows he is about to go on a long vacation. But, maybe some emergency came up at the last moment? There could be a reasonable explanation. That said, I still think there should be a way around having everyone held up. There is a way, but I am not goign to suggest it just yet.