On 6 June 2000, the BBC reported that Gaddafi had signed with Maltese champions Birkirkara F.C. and would play for them in the Champions League. The move failed to materialize. In 2003, he signed for Italian Serie A team Perugia, employing Diego Maradona as his technical consultant and Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson as his personal trainer. He made only one substitute appearance before failing a drug test. An article in "la Repubblica" said that "Even at twice his current speed he would still be twice as slow as slow itself."