chenjb's blog

Rescheduling of World Finals 22&23
By chenjb, history, 12 months ago, In English

After a few days of waiting, ICPC finally sent out an announcement concerning the recent situation in Middle East:

ICPC Email Content

In all, unfortunately, after Covid, the WF22/23 Finalists have to wait for another few months to compete. Let's discuss this in this post.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +550 Vote: I do not like it

ICPC really managed to nail the timing of wars around Egypt 12 years apart.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +60 Vote: I do not like it

More time to practice

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +105 Vote: I do not like it

    We'll soon have people that finished studying a few years ago that will still participate in the ICPC World Finals.

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +170 Vote: I do not like it

      I've graduated for almost a year now, resigned from 1 job just so I can practice full time, turned down 3 job offers. Not a whine but yes, I do feel a bit disappointed

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        12 months ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it +15 Vote: I do not like it

        people quit CP after getting full time job.

        you quit full time job to do CP.

        respect+

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        12 months ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

        ur dedication inspires

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +257 Vote: I do not like it

My schedule just got even more ruined. Great.

Also the airline refund penalty + wasted visa fees deleted 1.5 months of rent from my bank account. I'm so happy!

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +31 Vote: I do not like it

    we actually took a loan, which we have yet to finish paying, to pay for the tickets we just lost

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

    You are saying that ICPC organization will not cover all travel fees (this includes both plane tickets and visa fees) given this reschedule!?

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +482 Vote: I do not like it

I truly admire the ICPC organization. They mastered an art of fucking up a schedule..

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12 months ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +145 Vote: I do not like it

motherf)

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12 months ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +129 Vote: I do not like it

Here's an email they sent me about my request for a hotel stay extension earlier today:

Let's take a poll, which of these two is more likely?

ICPC communication is a total mess and the people organizing hotel reservations had no idea that the contest would be rescheduled later that day

They knew about the rescheduling and lied to me

Between the many problems with WF20, shifting NAC21 to an online format a week in advance, and now rescheduling WF22 two weeks before teams arrived (and with many teams planning to arrive earlier--I planned to leave in just over a week), it's clear that ICPC needs to make some serious changes. I realize that the organizers run these competitions largely out of the goodness of their hearts (at least, this is my optimistic understanding). However, when you're asking teams to travel halfway across the world for your contest, you have a responsibility to communicate with them promptly, directly, and honestly and to avoid making risky decisions that will end up costing teams large sums of money or disrupting housing/work/life plans. ICPC has blatantly shirked that responsibility for the last three years, and something needs to change if they expect to keep teams' and universities' trust moving forward.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
    ← Rev. 3   Vote: I like it +81 Vote: I do not like it

    Or 'the decision was made by a small group and shared immediately with everyone, not giving a heads-up to other organizers".

    But I agree, recent ICPC decisions are a joke, to say the least.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +99 Vote: I do not like it

    I think I noticed at least two days ago that they changed the name of ICPC post-WF challenge to ICPC online challenge. I was wondering why.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +94 Vote: I do not like it

    An interesting data point might be that 10 days ago I have received a rather detailed reassurance from the host, confirming that the finals will proceed in Sharm as planned.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +17 Vote: I do not like it

Really unfortunate :(

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +138 Vote: I do not like it

Imagine waiting 2 months and there was no progress for Gaza, so they postpone another 6 months. And situation in Gaza worsened and now there are actually terrorist attacks around Egypt. But they can't make it any later than Kazakhstan, so the contest is done in 2024/07 when the whole Egypt is on fire. I am not saying this will happen, but this is exactly what happened in Moscow.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +159 Vote: I do not like it

    Eventually, WF2022-WF2031 will be hosted altogether in Sharm el-Sheikh.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

    In that case, I guess they’d change the location

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +80 Vote: I do not like it

      And tell you 2wk before the contest

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        12 months ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it +40 Vote: I do not like it

        Seriously, I don't think they understand that for certain countries' people, it is actually hard to obtain visas for certain places. Not to mention how inconvenient it may be to travel over the globe to a random place by taking at least 2 stops.

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        12 months ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it +8 Vote: I do not like it

        I’d definitely love if world finals were in stable regions but maybe those are not applying for hosting and icpc has to choose among who applies. Not really sure though

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +15 Vote: I do not like it

    Moscow on fire? Moscow has never been on fire last few years bro))) u got something wrong

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it -14 Vote: I do not like it

      The "international society" (aka countries lead by US) always say Russia is more dangerous than it is, in reality most of Russia is safer than major cities in US like St. Louis or New Orleans.

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +58 Vote: I do not like it

      I'm not good at history, but I think Moscow wasn't on fire for the last 200 hundred years.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +16 Vote: I do not like it

Is there any effects for ICPC 23/24 season?

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +415 Vote: I do not like it

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12 months ago, # |
← Rev. 3   Vote: I like it +145 Vote: I do not like it

Holy! I am required to conduct military service right after WF Egypt. I wish I can get a clearer timeline so I can ask my government to adjust my schedule. :(

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Same question, what will happen to IOI2024???

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

    its in almost a year so there's a lot of time to anticipate. I hope the situation will be stable by then but if not maybe it will be online

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +57 Vote: I do not like it

    IOI International Committee is aware of ICPC decision.

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +11 Vote: I do not like it

      Thanks. I hope IOI2024 will go well =)

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +58 Vote: I do not like it

ICPC really needs to provide justification for this huge decision, especially on very short notice.

I understand what is happening, but they word it rather vaguely: "... extraordinary circumstances that affect many participants". Have they ever done any survey regarding this? or at least asked the opinions from coaches?

A lot of us are actually mad/disappointed and can't get any refunds, weeks and months of planning are wasted, and schedules are ruined.

I do hope that they have a good backup plan, and I won't buy hosting three WFs together in 2024.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +79 Vote: I do not like it

    There has been big escalations in the conflict in the last 24 hours, Isreal army launched a ground operation yesterday evening, there might be evacuation of civilians towards Sinia region which is very close to Sharm El-Shisk

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +34 Vote: I do not like it

The funny part is ACPC regional contest is also scheduled in Sharm El-Shisk a week after the WF, and as far as I know it's still on schedule!!!

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +6 Vote: I do not like it

    Well, a regional event is easier to host than an international one

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +14 Vote: I do not like it

      So it's Okay for regional students to do the contest in un-safe place but not Okay for international students?

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        12 months ago, # ^ |
        ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +18 Vote: I do not like it

        For people that already live in that region, it does not make much of a difference. But I guess ACPC includes other countries too?

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          12 months ago, # ^ |
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          ACPC contains all Arab and African countries

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            12 months ago, # ^ |
              Vote: I like it +3 Vote: I do not like it

            I can see a scenario where the regional happens while ICPC gets cancelled. Do you think they will cancel ACPC too?

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              12 months ago, # ^ |
                Vote: I like it +6 Vote: I do not like it

              I don't think they will. Organizers don't care about the safety of students, they only care about money and ACPC is full of curupt money.

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                12 months ago, # ^ |
                  Vote: I like it +28 Vote: I do not like it

                Mandatory context regarding the situation in ACPC: 1, 2. Apparently it's still not addressed.

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        12 months ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it +36 Vote: I do not like it

        Our region is used to unsafe places XD

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +3 Vote: I do not like it

    Well, they can charge $1500 per team to participate, but even if they switch to an online format they can still charge this much

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +32 Vote: I do not like it

    I mean you can't be possible comparing arab lives with other lives.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +8 Vote: I do not like it

I feel if they would have shifted the competition to Cairo, it would have been possible to host the competition still

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +21 Vote: I do not like it

    Luxor in the south of Egypt hosted the regional contest twice in the last 3 years, it would have been a much more interesting choice.

    But still it's not an easy thing to find hotels for this huge number of contestants, I thing this is a major blocker.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +24 Vote: I do not like it

Any news on airlines that will compensate flight cancellation? Specifically Turkish airlines.

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +10 Vote: I do not like it

    Here is some information about Turkish airlines: https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-int/passenger-rights-for-egypt-lebanon-jordan-flights you might be able to reschedule your flights without incurring major additional expenses.

    I wouldn't expect any airlines making exceptions for tickets issued after October 7 (which might be unfortunately the case for many contestants).

    If there is a major schedule change (which I think is probable) then you might be still able to cancel your tickets and obtain a refund. This is what I have done the previous time the WF were scheduled to happen in Sharm.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -31 Vote: I do not like it

ACPC start date is 17/11/2023, That day supposed to be the last day of ICPC WF.

Funny meme
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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +42 Vote: I do not like it

The title of this blog should honestly be ICPC World Finals 22&23 Canceled.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +43 Vote: I do not like it

Let me raise you that ACPC was scheduled right after ICPC from 17/11 to 21/11 and there are no talks of delaying that thus far. * Insert penguin meme here *

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +92 Vote: I do not like it

    Perhaps the organizers are waiting until all ACPC contestants have definitely purchased their flights before announcing it's cancelled as well.

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      12 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +178 Vote: I do not like it

      I think it's more like they are waiting for the contestants to pay 2000$ for the registration fees.

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12 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +39 Vote: I do not like it

I'm wondering if any of you has been able to use the "force majeure event" argument suggested in the rescheduling letter? More specifically, I'm referring to:

For those with air tickets, airlines offer special consideration for travelers affected by such circumstances.

Are you aware of any airline that does that?

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    12 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +18 Vote: I do not like it

    Egypt Air gave my team a refund, minus $150 for each ticket.

    Unfortunately, Air Canada did not... :(

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11 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +3 Vote: I do not like it

The next update is scheduled for 12 January 2024, when we plan to announce the new ICPC World Finals schedule. The World Finals will not be scheduled before April 2024.

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