Basketball international referee Bernard Vassallo has reached the top levels in officiating basketball games all over Europe.

But what is his favourite food? And what kind of books does he like to read?

His favourite season is summer, but which football team does he support?

What was the last book you read?

Sapiens: A Brief history of Mankind & Leading with the Heart

Who is your favourite author?

Alan Goldberg

What was the last film you watched?

Barbarians

Which film have you seen multiple times and enjoyed every time you saw it?

Braveheart, Goodfellas, Aliens, Planet of the Apes

Who is your favourite actor/actress?

Denzel Washington

What is your favourite TV series?

Man in the Middle, Vikings, Band of Brothers, Last dance

What is your favourite game or sport to watch and play?

Obsessed with basketball

Which team do you support?

This is a no-brainer: Newcastle United!!!

Which song would you sing at a karaoke night?

For sure I will aim to be the very, very last one on the day so I make it easy for the bar owner to close as all will be eager to leave the place

Which show/event would you like to attend/have attended? 

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?

A knife (a machete would be better), a fishing net and a dynamo-powered flashlight

Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest?

The ears to hear and listen

What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten?

My many basketball voyages have led me to some unusual (at times not so palatable) foods. Hakarl (fermented shark) and hrutspungar (ram testicles) in Iceland are unforgettable. The criadillas (deep fried testicles) were quite a delicacy but was taken aback when served labskaus for the first time in Germany.

What is that one thing you could not go a day without?

Water

Which fictional character do you relate to most?

Since my secondary school days at Stella Maris and exposure to “To kill a Mocking Bird”, I am fascinated by Atticus Finch

Do you check your horoscope?

No, in my opinion this is like an addiction and can make you dependent on it apart from the fact that if you believe in such, you end up believing less in yourself. We need to have positive attitudes as much as possible and try to make life beautiful.

What age would you choose if you could be one age forever?

30 a blend of young energy and also some experience

What invention would you erase from history?

Not a single one as I think all inventions, if used wisely and in a positive manner, can contribute to our benefit. The problem is when we cross the fine line and misuse the same inventions. Take nuclear energy, it made large inroads in physics and nuclear fuel but then we swayed over to nuclear weapons. Our evolution needs the freedom to create and invent.

Would you like to know the day when you will die?

No. I do not think general life would turn for the better if we had to know this beforehand. I think egoism and possible anarchy would reign supreme.

What's your favourite animal?

I have always been fascinated with the orangutan.

What's your favourite type of foreign food?

Indian cuisine

What is your favourite hobby?

Reading

What's your favourite season?

Without a doubt Summer, love the heat and sunshine.

What's your favourite ice cream topping?

Caramel

What's your favourite board game?

Scrabble by far

What is your favourite pizza?

The spiciest on the menu

What is your favourite colour?

Blue for its calming element

What is your favourite pasta dish?

Penne al salmone

What is your favourite cartoon show?

Uomo Tigre & Wil E. Coyote

What did you like to do most during the summer holidays?

Practice basketball and watching waterpolo games

Did you learn how to ride a bike?

Never

Who was your super hero?

Magic Johnson

What subject did you excel in at school?

I was a regular prize winner in many different subjects

What subject did you dislike the most in school?

The compulsory, at the time, Arabic, without a doubt!

What are the best values you owe to your parents?

Self-control, honesty and integrity

What would you change about yourself if you could?

My height

What really makes you angry?

Blatant dishonesty when the writing is clearly on the wall, lack of respect and lack of integrity.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

One needs to always think positive, so I try to think half full with space to fill further

Are you a sore loser?

I do not look at life as winning or losing, but of giving your best at all times, whatever that may be, it may be an A+ one day or a C the following day, the most important thing is to stand up after a C performance and return to an A as quickly as possible. If then, you made some mistake, take it as a learning opportunity, admit the mistake and move on.

What is your biggest regret?

Being too good and too forgiving at times with certain narcissist people who then even tried to harm me. Yet, I always believe that truth will always prevail and cream rises to the top.

What’s the first thing you look for in a partner and/or friend?

Respect and values

What is your greatest fear?

Heights for sure, I cannot stand at the edge of a cliff

What is your life motto?

It has always been the same: remember always where you started; respect everyone, but fear no one.

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

I may look naïve but I am not stupid.

What's one thing that can instantly make your day better?

A good stretch and silence around

If you could relive one moment in your life, which would it be?

The birth of my son, Matthias

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Seafood Rice

If you could eliminate one of the seven deadly sins, which one would it be?

The seven deadly sins are categories of sins, not sins in and of themselves. Pride is normally termed as the original sin but I believe that instead of thinking of eliminating any, we should aim for ‘balance’ in everything. Without balance, we are not in control. I think that all of these are ok if in moderation. For example, it is ok to enjoy food and rightly earned money. It is ok to desire rightful things and to have self-esteem. It is then wrong if we get obsessed on these things and become egotistical.

If you had to be given a superpower, what would you choose?

What is definitely scarce in life? Time. So I would not mind if I could freeze time.

Coffee or tea?

Tea

Walk or swim?

Walk

Summer or winter?

Summer

Italy or England?

Neither to be honest, never had any preference for any country whatsoever.

Restaurant or delivery?

Restaurant

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl by far, even a complete night of working if need be.

Fish or meat?

Fish

Mobile phone or TV?

TV

Black or white?

For me black and white as in Newcastle United. Jokes apart, we should not be black or white but black and white and also allow for grey. We have to be always and doers in life and use common sense.