I have been thinking about Kramnik-Topalov 2006 in Elista. Game 5 was announced a forfeit yesterday, creating a crisis that will likely abort the match.
So I have been reading the chess rule book.
In the “5th Edition” of U.S. Chess Federation’s Official Rules of Chess (McKay, 2003), the FIDE rules say…
Question: 
Did arbiter Geurt Gijssen have the power to remove the players’ clock before the start of game 5; instead of having to press it to start Kramnik’s clock?
To me it looks like the answer is “Yes, the arbiter had the power to remove the clock”.
The above rules indicate broad discretion for the arbiter to handle odd situations, and that the rules are willing to rely on the arbiters as they have proven themselves competent during their years of experience.
I wish Gijssen had been more assertive before game 5, and had used the discretion the rules explicitly give him.
If Gijssen had removed the clock from the playing room before game 5, instead of pressing it, I presume the crisis would not now be so severe.
Thank you.