Italian Football in Turmoil as Referee Chief Rocchi Steps Aside Amid Match-Fixing

Five people in total are under investigation, all from within the refereeing world. Inter Milan and its officials are not among them. Rocchi, 52, who has been Italy's chief referee designator since 2021, is accused of directing the appointment of referees in a manner that favoured Inter Milan, and of influencing a VAR decision during a Serie A match. The criminal charge is concorso in frode sportiva, which applies to anyone who attempts to alter the result of a sporting competition through illegal or fraudulent means and carries a sentence of between two and six years in prison. The Three Specific Allegations The prosecutors, led by Milan PM Maurizio Ascione, have identified three separate episodes at the centre of the case. In the first, Rocchi is alleged to have arranged the appointment of referee Andrea Colombo, described as a referee favoured by Inter, for the Bologna-Inter match of April 2025. In the second, he is alleged to have assigned referee Doveri to the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Milan and Inter specifically to avoid that referee being available for subsequent matches, as he was considered unfavourable to Inter. The third allegation is the most vivid. During the Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on 1 March 2025, Rocchi is alleged to have violated VAR protocol, which requires complete autonomy in the VAR rooms at Lissone, by knocking insistently on the glass of the VAR room and making himself understood to the officials inside, inducing referee Maresca to call an on-field review that resulted in a penalty being awarded to Udinese. Since VAR officials wear headsets, Rocchi could not speak to them directly, so he reportedly communicated through the glass. VAR official Daniele Paterna, who was inside the room during that match, was subsequently questioned by prosecutors and has himself been placed under investigation for false testimony, on the basis that investigators believe he was not telling the truth about what happened, as shown by video evidence. VAR Supervisor Also Investigated Also under investigation is Andrea Gervasoni, the VAR supervisor, for a separate incident: prosecutors allege he directed the award of a penalty in the Serie B match between Salernitana and Modena on 8 March 2025. Gervasoni self-suspended two days before the news of his investigation became public and has indicated through his lawyer that he intends to respond to questions when called for interview on 30 April. Inter's Position Inter president Beppe Marotta was swift and categorical. We know we have acted with the utmost correctness. This is the most important fact and should reassure everyone. We are not involved and will not be in the future. Prosecutors have confirmed that no Inter officials or registered club employees are among those under investigation. Inter have also pointed out that they suffered adverse refereeing decisions during last season, citing in particular a penalty awarded against them in Inter-Roma, in an implicit argument that a conspiracy in their favour would have produced a cleaner record. The Institutional Fallout The response from Italian football's governing bodies has been swift. Dino Tommasi, a former Serie A referee with significant administrative experience, has been appointed interim designator to replace Rocchi for the remainder of the season, including the Coppa Italia final. UEFA has announced it is monitoring the situation. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi has not ruled out consequences, and speculation about the possible commissariamento, or government takeover, of the FIGC has intensified, with the Serie A league itself calling for a complete renewal of the federation's leadership. The scandal arrives at the worst possible moment for Italian football. With Italy outside the World Cup for the third consecutive time, the refereeing system now under criminal investigation, and the federation facing calls for its own dissolution, the sport is navigating a crisis on multiple fronts simultaneously. Whether Rocchi is ultimately convicted of anything remains to be determined by the courts. The damage to Italian football's credibility, in the meantime, is already substantial. Ph: Ettore Griffoni / Shutterstock.com