Interview

1. Can you share the key milestones and highlights of your 20-year career as a referee with the Malta Football Association?
   
   

Yes, first of all, since I was very young, I was always passionate about football and I always dreamt to be the national team goalkeeper. I have played as a goalkeeper at school but unfortunately, I was like a mommy's boy, and I lacked self confidence. So basically, what happened was when I was 22 years old, I saw an advert, and I just applied to take a periphery, in course, to learn more about the laws of the game and soon after I started, I realized that I was like one of three best new referees. And I took it seriously as I always do. And so since 1990 until 2010, I walked like it was a long journey. So I started first being an assistant referee. At that time, it was linesman. The match fees were not very attractive at all so whoever says that you become a referee for money that is not correct at all. You become a referee because you have the passion for the game and I enjoyed it. So my initial 20 years, where like assistant referee in youth two matches after each other, sometimes three. It was a big sacrifice. I was not someone who liked training, but of course I had to train and then slowly, but surely I started establishing myself first as a referee in the third division league in Malta. Then the second division, then the first division, then premier league. But it was not easy to reach the top at all, because I remember I was in a way forced to accept the nomination to become a FIFA assistant referee and I always want to be the man in the middle, but there was no chance, no possibility to become a referee in the premier league, I remember, because there were so many good referees at the time. I decided to accept, I was advised it's best to accept and I spent 2 years on the FIFA panel as an assistant for you where I learned so much from other experienced referees.

And then after 2 years, I surprised the MFA because I wrote to them and I said, please don't nominate me next year, and they didn't take it light lightly. But I always want to be the man in the middle and I believed that I had the skills to do so, and they put me off the list from the FIFA list, but they did not put me in the list for the permanent referee so I had to start, I had to wait another year. Just imagine myself being an assistant referee with junior referees without the FIFA badge now, missing out on international appointments as well as. But then I was lucky because former colleague of mine ER Zammit got injured and he was, he had to be replaced in the premier league and eventually also in the FIFA list. So then I joined the premier league, and within 3 years, I became international referee, which was quite a fast track. Yeah, then I became international referee and it was not a long care year as international referee, it was 5 years because I started experiencing injuries because of my flat feet.

When we were young at school, there were no regular checks like they do today. I was operated 3 times twice in Malta and one in Sweden. Always paid for surgeries myself from my own pocket. There was no coverage, no insurance. But I was always determined to lengthen my career as far as possible. And I'm happy and I'm proud that I have spent 20 years and that made me eligible, becoming a FIFA referee made me eligible. Because after my 20 year per year, then I became a UEFA referee observer and a UEFA referee coach.

And also, I was lucky in a way, also that there was a change of presidency at the MFA, Dr Joe Mifsud was replaced by Norman Darmanin Demajo, who wanted someone younger to lead refereeing sector and I led the refereeing sector between 2011 and 2016 here in Malta and I'm proud to say that during that time, Maltese refereeing gained a lot of status abroad and in fact, at that time, unfortunately, it's not the case now we had four referees in the category one, the new UEFA, one was Clayton Pisani in the male section, Ester Azzopardi in the female section, Jude Amin Utulu in beach soccer and also Franco Cachia on Futsal. During the time, I established a lot of contacts with member associations abroad. I was also invited to some countries to carry out courses as instructors. So even bigger countries like the Republic of Ireland, they recognized my worth. And also I'm proud to say that in 2011, Charles Agius and myself, we started referee exchanges in Malta. At the time UEFA committee members used to come to me and say, but isn't it better that you spend the money on equipment like electronic equipment? What is the benefit of all this? Nice to reply to them? The benefit is, first of all, our referees who are used to referee matches week in week out in front of low attendences, where our football is so slow and not so technical. We are giving them the opportunity to referee in professional leagues abroad, like Georgia, Northern Ireland, Wales, etc.  At the same time, it's also beneficial for the clubs. They don't see the same faces, so they see a different approach to the game by foreign referees.

Then 2016, I had an issue at the MFA, I resigned after 5 years. I intended to do 6 years, but I left my post earlier before, but I was always determined to come back. And in fact, in 2019, I contested the post for vice president of the Malta FA. I was elected. I was an underdog at the time we were six candidates, I came third, I replaced an incumbent. And yeah, I never looked back. And now I am a UEFA match delegate, so which is even a higher position than the UEFA referee observer which I had before. I am not so much involved in refereeing in Malta at the moment, because my own son is a premier league referee. And to avoid conflict of interest is better to stay away from refereeing. However, I do give advice whenever it's needed.

2. Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 50 in 2018 is a significant life event. How has this diagnosis influenced your perspective on life and work?

Yes, it was a big shock for me. So when I started feeling symptoms at the age of 49, I never thought I had Parkinson’s I thought it was just some kind of neck pain and rigidity, which would be like healed by normal physiotherapy. I went to physiotherapy twelve sessions, then another eight sessions at a different one because I got to know that there is someone who specializes in the neck, but not much difference. And then I went for an MRI but nothing came out, because Parkinson's is not something which can be seen in an MRI or in a blood test and I also went to see an Orthopedic Surgeon, but then I was advised to see a Neurologist and I went to the Neurologist and within 30 to 45 seconds, he recognized that I had Parkinson's because I had lost my facial expression, my smile, and because of the bad experience in 2016 in football, I suffered for 2 years from depression, and that could have triggered possibly even through medication I was taking Parkinson's.

So I spent 3 years in denial, not sharing the news with anyone. You wouldn't know that I had Parkinson’s I did not have any particular tremors or I was taking medicine, going to the gym, keeping myself active. I was lucky that I was diagnosed at the start of it in a way.

But after 3 years, I decided I want to do something about it and I joined Step Up for Parkinson's, a voluntary organization, and then I started my work, which is up to now, but of course Parkinson’s has left an effect on me. But I am blessed to have Parkinson's and I am blessed because first of all, I have Parkinson's, but Parkinson’s doesn't have me so I am total control. I lead a normal life as much as possible apart from the stiffness I have in the mornings and my wife helps me with that, by buttoning my shirt. Sometimes doing my shoe laces, helping me dress my clothes. But then when the medicine starts working, then I'm fine. My perspective about life is that thanks to Parkinson's I look at life in a very different way than I did before. I was always a warrior. I worry about the things very sensitive person. If there is a fly passing in front of me, I want to know why.

Thanks to Parkinson's, I realised how important it is to prioritise in life and to put everything in its perspective, to take care of one's health, and also to lead and to leave a positive influence amongst peers and amongst family members. So whatever I do, I try to do it with passion and pride, and with perseverance as well, which would be the name of my book, Pride, Passion & Perseverance. I think the way I look at life now is in a very positive way. I look at the glass half full and not half empty.

3. What inspired you to join Step Up for Parkinson’s as a Project Manager, and how do you envision making a difference in this role?

I was introduced to Step Up for Parkinson's by a friend who also did Parkinson's and at first, when I saw some videos, because they offer dance therapy classes, which are now called specialised movement classes. I said to myself, this is not for me, because most of the people living with Parkinson's around 80, 90% are people of a certain age.

But as soon as I decided, after 3 years with Parkinson's, which was way back in December 2021, January 2022, I decided that life has given me a a lot, a lot of nice opportunities, a healthy family, a wonderful family, so many friends, in Malta and abroad. And I said to myself, not everybody was lucky as I was, so I want to spend the rest of my life being an ambassador for Parkinson's. I started meeting people, and since I came out publicly on the 1st of April, 2022, when I announced that I live with Parkinson’s, a lot of people were in disbelief and in shock, because everybody knows me how active in sports I always was.

But since then, it was a decision which I made. I never realised that I would impact the lives of so many people. But Parkinson's in Malta, I'm glad to say that since 2022, it has not remained a taboo. So more people are speaking about it. More people are trying to help us people with Parkinson's. And Step Up for Parkinson's was almost closed down due to lack of finances so I introduced the sport for Parkinson's campaign and different national sports associations offered to help by organising tournaments, by organizing fundraising events for us and now, 2 years later, stepa, ford Parkinson’s has opened a Parkinson center without any financial direct financial help from the government or other entities so we have opened the parking center in January. Now, in the next weeks, we will have an open day and also an official opening. So true stuff for Parkinson's, we are giving hope for people to lead a better life. I know people who thought that they would never, for example, go out to social events or go abroad. While I organized a trip abroad last year, several social events. And I'm going to organize at the end of April another trip abroad to Italy. What I'm doing and what I did and what I will continue to do is give hope to people to believe that after being diagnosed with Parkinson's, there is still a way of living a normal life. It may sound easy, but it's not, I you have to like be meant to be strong. But thanks to refereeing and thanks to sports, sports makes you mentally strong.

4. Could you discuss the goals and initiatives of the Sport for Parkinson’s National Campaign?

What for Parkinson's campaign was initiated first of all, to create awareness that physical exercise can alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms. So that's my first thought about it. Secondly, there was the attraction of raising funds for the organisation, and thirdly also the spirit of solidarity through sports. And in fact, when I saw the success, how successful it was after the first edition, I made some research. I found that parts of it, boxing and table tennis are two of the most important sports for people with Parkinson's, because of the movement to avoid stiffness because of the motor skills and in fact, I started training table tennis after a lapse of maybe 40 years and in 2022 I became a world champion in table tennis for Parkinson's, in Croatia, in the doubles event with a Slovenian guy and last year, I managed to finish third in the same category, so I won a bronze medal.

I'm not saying these things like to boss about myself, but I think I inspired other people, in fact, in the second edition, in the first edition, I was alone from Malta. In the second edition, there was Anna Tabone who also won in the singles event, she won the bronze medal as well. And recently, our club at a table tennis club, organised a workshop and now we are 13 players playing table tennis, which is very encouraging, very inspiring.

5. Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the development of football in Malta, your advocacy work for Parkinson’s, and your personal and professional growth?

Yes, in football, I want to continue being close to football clubs to remember associations. I am involved in football to serve football, not to be served by football. What does that mean? I'm not there to because I am attracted by any salary, I am there because I believe that football, sports, in general, but mainly football has given me so much, so many wonderful opportunities. Just to mention that out of 55 EUFA member countries, I have been to 52. I need to visit Kosovo, Moldova and Iceland. Yes, football has given me and I believe there is a lot of bad talk, negative talk in Malta about football, maybe not just in Malta, but about corruption. And I know that I am respected for my integrity. It doesn't mean I have not made any mistakes, especially as a referee.

Maybe I was in some falls against you and they weren’t fouls. Yeah, but so I want to be the face for people who would like to be involved in football. They are people of integrity, and I find it difficult to join because they think that all people in football are corrupt or they have bad intentions. And also, I believe that we as a country, in fact, this is very much the strategy of the Malta Football Association. Our motto is we can perform better. In my opinion, although we are a small country, we are so passionate about football, that if we believe in ourselves, not just if we win all kinds of sports, I think we can succeed. We are already seeing under this administration current MFA admnistration, how much we have improved. Lately we have enjoyed the success of the female national team so yes that is my aim to continue bringing positive change.

Then on a personal basis, I would like to continue learning. I would like to learn from other people's experiences, the more I meet people, the more I learn. And from a professional point of view, I'm working at the public works Department. I joined the public sector only 9 months ago, almost a year ago, so I don't have so much experience. So from the very professional point of view, I would like to learn more about public policies. And also I would like to publish my book, which is Pride, Passion, and Perseverance, which defines me as a person who when the going got tough, when I felt that there is nothing to look forward to I was determined and I remained perseverant and I always carried out my duties professionally and in sports with pride and passion.