Gianluca Rocchi, the former chief of referees for Italy's top two football divisions, Serie A and Serie B, has been cleared of sports fraud allegations. Milan prosecutors have dismissed the case against Rocchi and his deputy, Andrea Gervasoni, following an investigation initiated in April.
The inquiry was launched after accusations surfaced regarding Rocchi's alleged attempts to influence VAR decisions and manipulate referee appointments. However, the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office concluded on Wednesday that there was "no evidence of a structured system aimed at interfering with appointments," leading to the dismissal of the case.
Among the allegations were claims that Rocchi had intervened during the 2024-25 season, including purportedly changing an official for an Inter Milan match to one perceived as more favourable to the club. Inter Milan, who finished a point behind Serie A champions Napoli that season, were not implicated in the investigation.
Further accusations focused on an incident during a Serie A fixture between Udinese and Parma on 1 March 2025. Rocchi was accused of interfering with VAR protocols by banging on the VAR booth window and recommending an on-field review for a penalty. While the sports fraud case has been dismissed by Milan prosecutors, documents pertaining to this specific incident have been forwarded to the Monza Public Prosecutor’s Office, as the VAR operations room falls under their jurisdiction.
During the course of the investigation, Rocchi stepped down from his position. Dino Tommasi initially took over his responsibilities, followed by Daniele Orsato. Antonio D’Avirro, Rocchi's lawyer, expressed his client's satisfaction with the outcome, stating, "Fortunately, the situation was resolved quickly, even though the price Rocchi had to pay was steep." D’Avirro maintained that any actions taken by Rocchi were intended to correct errors rather than alter match results, and did not constitute sporting fraud.