Noval made headlines across Spain on Wednesday for carrying out an entire female-male sex change in a single marathon operation for a 29-year-old called “Rafa.”
“This is a pioneering operation in the Valencia region aimed at shaping an entire trans man in a single operation,” Noval told a press conference on Tuesday, two months after the surgery.
Over 17 hours in Valencia, Noval operated on Rafa's face and chest and carried out phalloplasty (building a functioning penis).
He outlined the details of the operation in a press conference here:
According to the Spanish press, the process of “sexual reassignment” usually takes between two and 10 years in Spain.
“The result is a great success,” Noval said.
As a sideline Noval is on referee Juan Martinez Munuera's officiating team in La Liga.
“I love it and I'm passionate about it,” Noval said.
Noval's top-level officiating began in a Copa del Rey match between Teruel and Real Union in 2010.
In 2016 he ran the line for the first time in La Liga as Gareth Bale scored twice in a 3-0 win for Real Madrid at Real Sociedad.
He has also been on duty for Europa League and Champions League qualifiers.
This season's highlight was a goalless draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Madrid derby.
“I had the opportunity to be an assistant in Real Madrid-Atletico Madrid and that is a privilege and a unique experience.”