VIENTIANE – The pinweight, the lightest division in boxing, is in danger of being scrapped in the 25th Southeast Asian Games after the AIBA technical delegate informed organizers Wednesday that it does not exist under its rules.

Herbert Embuldeniya, an AIBA official from Sri Lanka, said that he has sought the opinion of the world’s governing body based in Switzerland.

The development could disenfranchise Bill Vicera and four other boxers entered in the 45-kilogram class.

Ed Picson, the country’s team manager, immediately raised an objection, saying that it’s unfair to be told only now.

“Why only now?” Picson told a meeting of team managers. “Our boxer prepared for this. If the division is scrapped, we would be left with only five boxers in the men’s division.”

SEAG rules limit participation to only six boxers for each country in the men’s division.

Thailand, the Philippines’ main rival, supported Picson’s argument.

Emuldeniya said he would wait for AIBA’s opinion before making a decision.

Another issue raised by Picson was the use of the computer draw, questioning its integrity.

“For computer illiterate individuals like me, I would prefer to do it manually. Anyway, there are only few of us here,” he told the meeting.

The boxing draw will be held Thursday after the weigh-in of participating boxers.

Mitchell Martinez, a light welterweight, is now entered in the lightweight division, forcing her to shed three kilograms.

“For Mitchell, it’s not a problem because she always climb the ring under 60 kilos,” he said.

To increase the country’s chances for the gold medal, Joegin Ladon, a natural lightweight, has been asked to bulk up for the light welterweight division where he will be assured of the silver medal.

Picson said Ladon, instead of facing a Thai boxer, will only have to deal with the entry from Laos.

The fancied boxing team, headed by Olympian Harry Tanamor, hopes to bounce back from a riotous performance in Thailand where it garnered only one gold, 12 silvers and two bronzes.

The team sparked a controversy during the men’s finals when it dropped all its bouts against Thailand on purpose to protest what it perceived as biased officiating.