Local international basketball referee, Bernard Vassallo (photo) was chosen by FIBA, for the second year running, to form part of its Potential Referees Group made up of 45 referees selected from all around the continent. In fact he has been invited to attend a specialised clinic in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, between the 8th and 12th of June.

FIBA launched this project of potential referees last year and Vassallo, who during March refereed a total of seven games including a men’s semi-final, a women’s semi-final as well as the prestigious women Gold medal final game during the Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, was also amongst the initial potential group chosen by FIBA in 2005.

In the meantime, FIBA has also nominated Vassallo to referee in three official international tournaments in the coming two months. He will first be one of the referees in Albania during the FIBA European Men Promotion Cup and then will be involved in two tournaments in July, namely the Women Promotion Cup in Malta followed by the European Junior tournament in Andorra.