Zero Tolerance at the Chinese Championships

Of FIDE's rule changes in the last few years, perhaps the most controversial has been the "zero tolerance" policy in regards to tardiness. Simply stated, the rule says that if you are not at the board when your game begins, the arbiter has the right to forfeit the game to your opponent. Arbiters have the latitude to enforce that rule how they see fit by setting a time limit for how late you can be before you lose, but the FIDE recommendation is now 0 minutes. This clearly had the potential for creating some controversy; while individual players were forfeited at the last Olympiad, I don't believe it had yet happened in a game that had serious prize or championship implications in a major event.

That all changed this past week, when the zero tolerance rule had a big role in deciding the Chinese Chess Championships. With two rounds remaining, GM Wang Hao held a nearly insurmountable 1.5 points lead over the field, and looked headed to victory. However, young Ding Liren, a strong but untitled player (FIDE rated 2458), upset Hao in their 10th round game, moving him to within a half-point of the leader heading into the final round.

Then things really got strange. Ding Liren still likely needed a win with the black pieces against GM Zhou Jianchao in the final round, while Wang Hao had White against GM Liang Chong, and still held a half-point lead. But when Zhou Jianchao failed to appear at the board at the start of the round, Ding Liren was given a forfeit win; coupled with another loss by Wang Hao, this made Ding the Chinese Chess Champion for 2009.

This wasn't the only strange zero tolerance application during the event; 15-year-old phenom GM Hou Yifan took a forfeit loss despite being in the playing hall, ready to play, because she wasn't in her seat at the time the round began.

FIDE's line has always been that requiring players to appear at the board on time is a mark of professionalism, but I can't see how forfeit losses for slight tardiness looks any more professional than the lateness itself. What do you think the punishments for late players should be, if any?