‘Refereeing allowed me to go into environments I never dreamt of’ - Vassallo

Newly appointed FIBA commissioner BERNARD VASSALLO has been around the game of basketball for more than 20 years, having officiated games in various parts of the world until his international retirement over the summer. Vassallo spoke to Kurt Aquilina about his career… Referees are an important part of the game, however, they are possibly the least to be discussed throughout the sporting world. Asked about this, FIBA commissioner Bernard Vassallo said that while officials are an integral part of the game, they are offering a service. “Officials are not the game – they are part of the game,” he told the Times of Malta. “Without officials there will not be a game but it is bad if officials look at the game in a sense that they are indispensable to it. They are part of the game and they offer a very important service for the game – ultimately the game is the players themselves who offer a spectacle for spectators and those watching the sport.” Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta