This is what they had to said on tpr's forum. Looks like we lost around 3k
Be sure I was shocked too when this happened with the Columbia and you might find a message about it from me together with lots of other messages from TPR members on thiis
The problem is where to set the line?
The rule about no name changes was agreed to when to race was discussed. So everyone did know about it.
After Robors name change more people started changing their names and the captains had to stop this. Additional it's nearly impossible to make sure it's only a name change and not an account swap, and it makes it had to generate any stats (no unique identifier available to the public).
So it got discussed in the captains forum and result was what I wrote in the Announcement in this thread. We heard nothing from AnandTech during the last week and so Robor was set to gone (results from time of name change).
Yes, I realize it's setting AnandTech back around 3K and I am not really happy about it. Personally I was hoping he would have agreed to the very few rules of the race for the last few days it is running.
Idoxash (AnandTech too) played a game of leaving and returning. The rule was clear: You leave and you are out. No (re)joining during the race. That's why he stays in the stats as 'gone'.
There were a couple of people who wanted to join the race after the deadline but we had to deny it.