Is it okay for players to climb ELO during a lower level tournament?

Hey guys,

I recently joined a lower level tournament with a cap of 1400 ELO. During the sign up and at the start of the tournament I was 1320 ELO.

One of the rules was that you could not have a max of 1450 ELO before or after the tournament. The tournament lasts between 1-2 months, playing one set a week.

I questioned this rule, and the Admin then said that it was okay to keep playing 1v1 RM. So, I kept practicing on the 1v1 RM ladder. I had noticed that several other players were already above 1450 ELO before the tournament even started.

Perhaps I should have just practiced on an alternate account, which another player openly admitted to doing anyway to avoid this rule.

By the time I had reached the semi finals, I had climbed to 1485 ELO. It was at that time the Admin decided to ban me from the tournament.

So basically a few questions. Was the decision to ban me really fair? Is it reasonable to expect nobody to practice or improve during a tournament? Lastly, what tournaments are open now?

Thanks,
SlyFox