In 1992 he played 24 matches as a midfielder for second-league Football Club Karelia Petrozavodsk, scoring two goals. He later played for the first-league futsal team GTS Petrozavodsk. He began his career as a referee in 1996.
He qualified as a Fédération internationale de football association referee in 2010 and worked in the 2011 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup.
Pettay died in the crash of RusAir Flight 9605 at Besovets, near Petrozavodsk.