Scandal in Italian football: the head of referees resigned amid an investigation into "sporting fraud"

Gianluca Rocchi, the official responsible for referee appointments, is under judicial scrutiny for allegedly attempting to favor Inter Milan in several matches.
Gianluca Rocchi, the official responsible for appointing referees in Italy's Serie A and Serie B, has stepped down from his position as head of the Referees Commission (CAN) after being investigated by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office for alleged "involvement in sports fraud ." Rocchi himself, in a statement released by the Italian news agency ANSA , announced: "I have decided to suspend myself, with immediate effect, from my position as head of the CAN . "
The measure was taken in agreement with the Italian Association of Referees (AIA) and, according to the director, aims to preserve the serenity of the refereeing group while the legal process against him continues.
“This painful and difficult decision, made in agreement with my family, aims to allow the proper development of the legal process, from which I am certain I will emerge unscathed and stronger than before,” Rocchi added in his statement. The executive is facing an investigation into possible interference in refereeing decisions during several official matches in Italy's top football league.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport , the Milanese Public Prosecutor's Office has filed three main charges against Rocchi. The first alleges manipulation in the appointment of referee Andrea Colombo for the match between Bologna and Inter played on April 20, 2025. According to court documents cited by the newspaper, Rocchi allegedly favored the selection of Colombo as the main referee in a context where Inter was competing for the Serie A title, although Bologna ultimately won 1-0.
The second charge relates to the assignment of Daniele Doveri to the Coppa Italia semi-final between Inter and Milan . The prosecutor alleges that Rocchi, in collaboration with others at the San Siro stadium, altered the assignment to ensure that Doveri would not be available for the tournament final, which Milan reached after winning the derby 3-0, although they later lost the title in Rome to Bologna.
The third episode under investigation revolves around the match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025. According to the prosecution's hypothesis, Rocchi allegedly intervened as a VAR supervisor to influence the decision of official Daniele Paterna , inducing him to recommend to the main referee, Fabio Maresca, a field review of a controversial handball inside the area that resulted in a penalty in favor of Udinese, who ultimately won that match 1-0 with a goal by Thauvin.
The case dates back to May 2025, when former assistant referee Domenico Rocca sent a letter of complaint to the AIA (Association of Italian Referees ). Rocca, 42, who retired last year, outlined possible irregularities in the refereeing system, although his complaint was initially dismissed. However, the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office reopened the case after identifying potential criminal implications in the reported events.
The preliminary hearing for Gianluca Rocchi is scheduled for next Thursday, April 30, at 10:00 AM, according to the Italian news agency AGI. The executive's lawyer, Antonio D'Avirro , of the Florence Bar Association, told ANSA : “I have known Mr. Rocchi for years, and he is a serious and honest person. I cannot comment at this time because I need to review the documents. However, I can say that my client, with whom I have spoken, denies the charges against him in the summons.”
The case has reignited tensions between the AIA and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) , since the Referees' Commission (CAN), headed until now by Rocchi, is technically dependent on the federation and is managed under the structure of the referees' association . Given the seriousness of the accusations, Rocchi himself stated: “My great love for my association and my sense of responsibility for the position I hold drive me, above all, to protect such an important group of athletes, whom I do not want to harm in any way with my actions. I hope that further developments will occur, which I hope will happen soon, to clarify my position . ”

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport , the investigation is focusing not only on recent incidents, but also on other matches from the previous season , such as the Inter Milan-Verona game on January 8, 2024. In that match, an alleged elbow in the penalty area by defender Alessandro Bastoni on player Duda was evaluated , an action that was not penalized after a VAR review.

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