Local international basketball referee Bernard Vassallo was nominated by FIBA for further appointments in the European sphere following a very positive 2011/12 club season consisting of eight international FIBA cup games, including seven FIBA EuroLeague matches.

In fact, Vassallo, who last year became the first Maltese referee to officiate in the highly prestigious EuroBasket Finals in Poland, will next week travel to Madrid as he was nominated to officiate the important EuroBasket 2013 Group D qualifier to be played in the Pabellon de San Antonio between hosts Spain and Germany today.

Both Spain and Germany were finalists in last year’s EuroBasket and are aiming to be again present in the 2013 EuroBasket finals to be held in France. Sweden, Romania and Bulgaria make up the rest of Group D.

Lisbon will be the next destination for Vassallo as he was also nominated to referee the Eurobasket 2013 Group A qualifier between Portugal and Israel to be played on Wednesday 27 June. These two nations are facing Ukraine, Belarus and Hungary in this balanced group.