Python started as a one-man-band project and of course didn't have a specification.

No thanks. Written specs can always have interesting implications or undefined behaviour. Just because it's written in a more verbose language (English) doesn't mean it's less vague.

E.g. GGC is the de facto C spec for many. Code/platforms as spec makes more sense and is easier to maintain/update, with quicker iterations of language features (c.f. Ruby/Python to C++).

You can say it's imprecise or lack of ratification from one or many international organization(s), but you cannot say it doesn't exist. End of story.