I still think that they should put a BMI or another index based on body measurements as barrier, not age per se. But maybe I am biased And yes, maybe then it would mean to discriminate against smaller bodies, so there is a balance to be struck.
In any case, as you say, small bodies do have an advantage anyway from being lighter and having a lower center of gravity; same as other different body types have an advantage in different sports.
And Andreea Răducan was (and still is) rather small, and she competed and
Although I was obsessed with Moceanu too (was anyone not?), Răducan is my gold.