I don't use the word cheating, with whatever connotations it has for the individual reader. I see it as a breaking of a rule, whether intentional or not. It's up to others to decide the severity of any penalty associated with the specific rule broken.
There are lots of other triathlons that have a no transfer policy. I don't know why you're focusing on just WTC ("yet is the one that prevents".)
As for the idea that only races with a no transfer policy are the ones that have bandits, I'm not so sure of that. I've heard of cases where, even if there is a transfer policy in place, some still will not pay the transfer fee or not go through the administrative side to do it. I the end, no matter what the transfer policy, there will be unauthorized transfers and not having the correct names/signatures on the forms.
As to the moral side of the issue, I wouldn't want to take someone's number and bandit a race, only to be injured and then have the original holder's family notified erroneously.
The free market is working as it's supposed to. Races tell us what their policies are, and its our choice to take those risks and enter, or take our business elsewhere. And if I don't feel that any have a good enough product, I can always produce the type of race the way I want, and get others to come along.
Edit: one last note. The OP said that a third party, the president of their tri club, was involved in the transfer. If so, then I would think that he or she would be on the list for possible penaly (whatever ends up being deemed appropriate).
There are lots of other triathlons that have a no transfer policy. I don't know why you're focusing on just WTC ("yet is the one that prevents".)
As for the idea that only races with a no transfer policy are the ones that have bandits, I'm not so sure of that. I've heard of cases where, even if there is a transfer policy in place, some still will not pay the transfer fee or not go through the administrative side to do it. I the end, no matter what the transfer policy, there will be unauthorized transfers and not having the correct names/signatures on the forms.
As to the moral side of the issue, I wouldn't want to take someone's number and bandit a race, only to be injured and then have the original holder's family notified erroneously.
The free market is working as it's supposed to. Races tell us what their policies are, and its our choice to take those risks and enter, or take our business elsewhere. And if I don't feel that any have a good enough product, I can always produce the type of race the way I want, and get others to come along.
Edit: one last note. The OP said that a third party, the president of their tri club, was involved in the transfer. If so, then I would think that he or she would be on the list for possible penaly (whatever ends up being deemed appropriate).