In 1992, he played 24 matches as a midfielder for second-league FC Karelia Petrozavodsk, scoring two goals.

[2] He later played for the first-league futsal team GTS Petrozavodsk.

[1][2] He qualified as a FIFA referee in 2010 and worked in the 2011 CIS Cup.

[1] Pettay died in the crash of RusAir Flight 9605[3] at Besovets, near Petrozavodsk.

This biographical article relating to Russian association football is a stub.