I was very disappointed with the way the esteemed basketball referee Bernard Vassallo tackled the ongoing Italian football scandal in his article Behind the Whistle last week. His attempt to drag Italian referee Massimo De Santis into some connection with Maltese referees just because he had made his international debut here six years ago is most unfair. That is the only time he ever came to Malta and that gives him no special connection to Maltese referees.

Another bone of contention I have with Bernard Vassallo is his statement that in our islands we frequently hear of allegations of corruption even in involving referees. Mr.Vassallo has a wealth of experience in the refereeing field both nationally and internationally where basketball is concerned; yet he cannot categorically state that allegations of corruption are common place. If he means by this that supporters of a team that loses a match blame the referee for their loss, then all well and good but I can assure my colleague that no factual allegations of corruption against a football referee have been made in the past years.

I can categorically state that any hint of corruption will be dealt with by the Malta Football Association with the ruthlessness that it deserves. Mr Vassallo knows that unfounded allegations by a few supporters should be completely ignored.

What is happening in Italy seems to be the result of legal telephone tapping but as he correctly states a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RICHARD STAGNO NAVARRA

Lija