Interviewed by Marino Petrelli on “Il Messaggero”, Silvia Martial commented on the LBA Referee of the Year award recently received: “It comes because of my skills on the pitch and it is a recognition for all women who, like me, have the desire and tenacity to have the right opportunities, without differences in type. It is an award that was a great surprise for me and I was even more pleased that the experts themselves awarded it to me. I see it as a great recognition for my work on the pitch and an encouragement and sign of acceptance of the person and my gender and the referee that I am. Basketball, and sport in general, is no longer exclusively male, now seeing a woman, even a winning one, is no longer a cause for sensation. The women’s basketball championship finals between Venice and Schio had greater visibility. The Euro 2025 Women group that will be played in Bologna will be a further step towards demonstrating that women’s basketball exists and is healthy in Italy. Also thanks to international level athletes.”
Off the pitch, Marziali is a medical officer in the Air Force: “The dream of medicine was born when I was little, but basketball was my first passion and in Porto San Giorgio I started playing, then refereeing. Managing both things is difficult, I use a lot of my holidays to referee, for example I will be in Mexico in mid-July for the Women’s Under 17 World Cup, but for now I am managing to reconcile work and passion with sacrifice.”
During her career, Silvia received the Gold Star for sporting merit from president Malagò for her commitment during the Covid months: “A wonderful recognition, I wear that medal with pride on my uniform. They have been two very difficult years, they have put me to the test profoundly as a person: seeing so many people die in the ward is something that marks you deeply and changes you. Today it seems like nothing happened, I can attest to the certainty of what happened with my experience in the field in sub-intensive care.”
