Malta basketball referee Bernard Vassallo has announced the end of his international career after 25 years of service.
In a facebook post on his social media, Vassallo said that after taking charge of 496 official international games, the time has come for him to call it a day as his licence will not be renewed after the end of the season after he reached the 50-years threshold.
Vassallo said that his farewell is tinge by the disappointment of missing out on the 500-games mark after his plans of officiating in an international tournament were scuppered as he was forced into COVID-19 quarantine.
In fact, Vassallo was due to be part of the officiating team in the FIBA Championships of the Small States in Ireland but could not travel and was handed another invitation to officiate in another international tournament in Macedonia but was not given permission to travel by the Maltese Health Authorites.