There are claims that the head of refereeing designators, Gianluca Rocchi, is facing an investigation for alleged sporting fraud. A key part of this investigation reportedly centers on his decisions regarding referee assignments for the 2024-25 season, with accusations that he favored Inter Milan.
The gravity of the situation was highlighted this afternoon with the announcement that Rocchi is officially under investigation for sporting fraud. This is an exceptionally serious charge, notably more severe than any allegations during the significant Calciopoli scandal of 2006.
Details of the Case Against Rocchi Remain Unclear
The exact reasons behind these serious accusations are not yet fully clear. However, the news agency AGI reports that investigators believe Rocchi influenced the assignment of referee Andrea Colombo for the Bologna vs. Inter match on April 20, 2025.
The alleged motive was that Inter Milan was reportedly unhappy with the prospect of Daniele Doveri officiating that particular game. Consequently, Doveri was reassigned to a Coppa Italia semi-final match on April 23, which Milan won 3-0.
It is further alleged that Rocchi made this decision, along with others, during a visit to San Siro for the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final on April 2. The reported intention was to keep Doveri away from matches deemed “most important” to Inter.
Ironically, if the intention was to benefit Inter by assigning Colombo, it did not pan out. This match proved costly for Inter’s Scudetto hopes when Riccardo Orsolini scored a late goal from a throw-in that appeared to have gone out of play further up the field.
Another accusation involves Rocchi’s alleged overstepping of his role as VAR supervisor on March 1, 2025. He is accused of banging on the VAR booth window, urging Daniele Paterna to recommend an On-Field Review for a penalty during the Udinese vs. Parma game.
Paterna reportedly did not initially intend to recommend an OFR for referee Fabio Maresca. However, he felt pressured by Rocchi into doing so, despite Maresca eventually awarding a penalty to Udinese.
