Why not back up your win 7 installation and try a different Linux variant? Or even just fuck around with Linux in dual boot/vm before transitioning? I’d have to imagine that’d be preferable to either not using the internet or risking every device on the same network it’s connected to. I swear I read an article where fresh win10 installs were getting infected within minutes of connecting to the net. Let alone 7.
No it won’t be counted as it’s considered a ‘violation’. Ref will blow the whistle stating as such and the ball will be handed over to the defending team.