[Si Coe]

I should point out there is no such thing as a '3 race rule' anyway. It is a code of practice rather than a 'rule' and as such does not have to be followed. Obviously the risk of not following it is that this can invalidate insurance in the event of an accident so you are taking a big chance if you don't.
Likewise clubs can choose to apply it or not - I know some clubs (especially nitro ones) insist No BRCA no race even for new drivers.
Ultimately its down to the person in charge to decide because they are responsible if anything goes wrong. Whilst in this case the race director was being excessively cautious there are sound reasons behind the decision.
The challenge is to strike a reasonable balance between safety and accessibility.