The earliest version of the rules I could find was dated 1/21/03.
http://www.hardlink.com/~markdu/OWFi....01212003.html

But the rule change actually goes all the way back to April or May of 2001. Darren posts about it here in post #9:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ghlight=russia

It's quite interesting to look back at those old threads with people starting trips from BUD, JNB, and GIB among others and routing the trips for the 100,000 bonus OW gave five and six years ago. Most of the same regulars still around and posting.