This type of stifling of change and progress happens in all sports, F1 being the one that springs to mind at the moment, the competitors have to sail as close to the rules as they can to get any advantage over the oposition, if this did not happen then the rest of us would not have ABS brakes, Traction control, Low profile tyres and many other improvements to make our motoring safer, I know this is way beyond the subject here, but experimentation is what improves a product for us mear mortals to use and play with.

Another that comes to mind is what the happened to Graeme Oberie when he put very short stem and handle bars on his hour record bike and the lengths the officials went to trying to find a way of banning it, so he changed his position on the bike again and they eventually banned that, all without changing the official rules.

This happens in all sports, the FAI are not alone.

Mike