The investigation that shook Italian football by placing Gianluca Rocchi, the referee designator, under suspicion of sports fraud is set to be archived due to lack of evidence. The scandal, which erupted on April 25 when Rocchi was formally investigated by Milan prosecutor Maurizio Ascione, seemed destined to disrupt the behind-the-scenes of refereeing, but has lost momentum in recent weeks.
The inquiry focused primarily on alleged favoritism during the 2024-25 season, with accusations that Rocchi had overlooked certain referees for being “unappreciated” by some clubs, notably Inter. One of the most serious suspicions pointed to an alleged attempt at direct influence, as he reportedly tapped on the glass of the VAR booth in the Lissone center, near Milan, to sway decisions in real time.
After months of questioning, it seems that the authorities have not managed to gather enough evidence to proceed with the case. According to the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gianluca Rocchi initially chose to exercise his right not to answer questions, but, called again a few days ago, he provided statements to investigators for four hours. This development resulted in a change in the charges, with the accusation related to the alleged touch on the VAR cabin glass being withdrawn, which would constitute a serious violation of protocols.
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However, there remains suspicion that Rocchi may have avoided appointing certain referees for Inter matches, allegedly because the club “did not appreciate” their performances, preferring other names. The investigation mentions cases such as the appointment of Maurizio Mariani for the Torino-Inter match in April 2026, at a time when the Scudetto had already been decided, and the assignment of Gianluca Manganiello to the Inter-Verona match in May 2025, to the detriment of Simone Sozza, due to the club's alleged dislike for the latter.
However, the real obstacle to the advancement of the case lies in the fact that the intercepted communications did not occur with representatives of Inter, but rather between members of the refereeing community who shared the club's concerns about certain referees. Without evidence of direct collusion with Inter, it becomes impossible to legally support the suspicions, especially since neither the club nor any of its officials have been subject to a formal investigation.
With the imminent shelving of the case, Gianluca Rocchi is expected to remain at the helm of Italian refereeing, while transalpine football seeks to digest yet another episode of suspicion that, by all indications, will have no judicial or sporting consequences.
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