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Source: gmanews.tv

-- The judo event of the 25th Southeast Asian Games kicks off Tuesday at the Budo Centre’s Chao Anouvong gymnasium in Vientiane, Laos and yet Team Philippines already kissed its bid for one of a target four gold medals goodbye.

Tomohiko Hoshina, a Filipino-Japanese and silver medalist in the last staging of the meet two years ago, was barred from competing in the heavyweight class as organizers found out that his Philippine passport is about to expire in six months’ time.

Philippine Judo Federation president Dave Carter naturally was upset about the incident.

“He (Hoshina) could have easily delivered a gold medal for us. He didn’t inform us that his (Philippine) passport will expire in June. It was a very big blow to our campaign," said Carter.

With Hoshina gone, the task of delivering golds for the Filipino judokas now lies in the shoulders of the unsinkable John Baylon (-81 kg), Karen Solomon (-70 kg), Nancy Quillotes (-45 kg) and Gilbert Ramirez (-73 kg).

Baylon, Philippine judo’s ageless warrior, is gunning for a record ninth consecutive SEA Games gold medal.

“We’re eyeing at least three to four gold medals. It was a modest and humble goal considering that John, Karen, Nancy and Gilbert are in good shape before going here," Carter said.

But one major concern of the judokas is officiating.

Carter suspects that the Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian officials have formed an alliance to dictate the outcome of the matches. Though organizers have invited neutral referees, Carter learned that the Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian arbiters would be assigned in the matches involving their respective countries.

“We’re bracing for the worst," he said. “This early, there’s already an alliance among referees from Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. We really have to work extra hard to accomplish our goal."

The problem in officiating supposedly marred the country’s campaign in the last SEA Games, leaving the Filipino judokas with only one gold medal to show.