Authorities in Milan have formally asked for the dismissal of a sporting fraud case targeting Gianluca Rocchi, the current head of referee assignments for Italy’s Serie A and Serie B. Rocchi, who transitioned to this administrative role following his retirement from officiating in 2020, had voluntarily stepped aside in April after coming under investigation for alleged complicity in sporting fraud related to the 2024-25 season.
Throughout the two-year inquiry, Rocchi maintained his innocence. Reporters from the Ansa news agency note that investigators found no proof of match-fixing, concluding that there was no evidence of an organized effort to manipulate referee selections. Allegations had suggested Rocchi favored Inter Milan in appointments and influenced VAR decisions, but prosecutors have now dropped those claims against both Rocchi and the club.
Specific accusations involved pressure placed on a VAR official regarding a handball decision during a match between Udinese and Parma. Despite these criminal findings being cleared, prosecutors have transferred the files to sports justice officials and the Italian Olympic Committee to determine if any internal disciplinary rules were violated. Under Italian law, sporting fraud is a criminal charge that could have resulted in a six-year prison sentence.
