New scandal in Italy: the chief referee resigned while the Justice investigates an alleged sports fraud

Sports controversies in Italy continue to come to light.

In the last few hours, Gianluca Rocchi, responsible for the arbitration appointment in Series A and Series B, decided to leave his position while being investigated for alleged involvement in sports fraud.

“I have decided to suspend myself, with immediate effect, from the position of head of the CAN,” announced Rocchi himself, in a measure agreed with the Italian Association of Arbitrators (AIA) with the objective of ensuring the normal functioning of the body while the judicial case progresses. “This decision, painful, difficult but shared with my family, is intended to allow the proper development of the judicial phase, from which I am sure I will emerge unscathed and stronger than before,”

he added.

The investigation, promoted by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, originated from a complaint by former assistant referee Domenico Rocca, who warned of possible irregularities in the arbitration system.

Although the initial proposal had been shelved in the sports field, the Justice detected possible criminal implications

and reactivated the case.

Among the episodes under scrutiny, one of the main ones points to an alleged manipulation in the appointment of referee Andrea Colombo for the match between Bologna and Inter on April 20, 2025, in a context in which the Milanese team was fighting for the title.

Another focus of the investigation focuses on the semifinal of the Italian Cup that year between Inter and Milan, where the prosecutor suspects that Rocchi had intervened to appoint Daniele Doveri in order to condition his availability in a possible final.

The third event involves the match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025. According to the judicial hypothesis, Rocchi would have influenced the VAR to review a hand play that ended in a penalty for Udinese. According to the complaint, the leader knocked on the glass of the room to attract the attention of the officers, which led to arbitral intervention

.

In addition, the research also reviews other meetings, such as the Inter-Verona in January 2024, in which a controversial action within the area was not sanctioned despite the technological review.

Rocchi's defense lawyer, Antonio D'Avirro, said that his client rejects the accusations: “I have known Mr. Rocchi for years and he is a serious and honest person. I can't comment at this time because I need to study the documents. However, I can say that my client refutes the charges brought against him

.”

"My great love for my association and my sense of responsibility for the position I hold push me, above all, to protect such an important group of athletes, whom I don't want to harm in any way with my actions. I hope that there will be new events, which I hope will come soon to clarify my position,” said Rocchi, who is now waiting for the advance of Justice to clarify his situation

.

The case will be analyzed at a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 30, as tension grows between the AIA and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) due to the institutional impact of the case.