Referee scandal peters out as Rocchi investigation shelved
Quick summary
An investigation led by Gianluca Rocchi into a refereeing controversy in Italian football has been shelved, effectively ending the matter without disciplinary action.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceThe investigation into referees and VAR that saw designator Gianluca Rocchi accused of sporting fraud looks like it will be shelved due to a lack of evidence.
The scandal erupted on April 25 when Rocchi was placed under formal investigation for participation in sports fraud by Milan Prosecutor Maurizio Ascione.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 10: Referee Gianluca Rocchi reacts during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Manchester United and FC Barcelona at Old Trafford on April 10, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) It was focused primarily on incidents in the 2024-25 season, including the decision to assign some referees rather than others who were ‘not appreciated’ by certain clubs.
Another accusation was that Rocchi knocked on the glass window of the VAR booth at the centre in Lissone , near Milan, to in real time influence the decisions of the officials.
Referee investigation fizzles out FLORENCE, ITALY – MAY 23: Gianluca Rocchi former Italian referee and referee designator for the Serie A and Serie B championships during the FIGC Hall of Fame Event on May 23, 2022 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) However, after months of interviews, it is reported that the case has provided insufficient evidence to proceed further, and will most likely be shelved.
La Gazzetta dello Sport note that Rocchi had initially used his rights not to answer questions, but when called in again a few days ago, he did speak to investigators for four hours.
As a result, the charges have changed, removing the accusation of the knocks on the VAR booth window, which would’ve been a violation of the protocol.
AIA chief Gianluca Rocchi (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) What remains is the suggestion that Rocchi avoided assigning certain referees because Inter ‘did not appreciate’ their performances, and preferred other candidates.
This continued into the 2025-26 season, assigning Maurizio Mariani to a Torino-Inter match in April 2026 because the Scudetto was already locked down.
Rocchi had also assigned Gianluca Manganiello to Inter-Verona in May 2025 because the club was not fond of the alternative, Simone Sozza.
The problem here is that the phone calls were not with representatives of Inter, but with other figures within the refereeing world who expressed Inter’s concerns with those officials.
If there was no direct collusion with the club, then it becomes difficult to go further, especially as neither Inter, nor any of their representatives were under investigation.
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What happened
The refereeing controversy that threatened to become a major scandal in Italian football has been quietly dropped. The investigation, overseen by Gianluca Rocchi (FIGC's head of referees), examined allegations of improper conduct involving match officials. By shelving the probe, authorities have signaled the matter will not result in sanctions or further disciplinary proceedings. The decision closes a chapter that had drawn significant media attention and debate about officiating standards in Serie A.
Chance analysis
The shelving of the investigation removes a cloud of uncertainty over Italian refereeing and restores stability to the officiating apparatus heading into the rest of the season. For clubs, this means no retroactive disciplinary outcomes, fixture reshuffles, or points adjustments. It reduces off-field noise around Serie A matches but does not resolve underlying concerns about officiating consistency that fueled the initial controversy.
Ends uncertainty around potential sanctions or officiating changes in Serie A, returning focus to on-field competition.
No direct match prediction impact; the refereeing investigation outcome stabilizes officiating status quo in Serie A.