Serie A referee chief Gianluca Rocchi suspends himself over fraud claims
Gianluca Rocchi, the head of referee assignments for Italy’s top football divisions, has suspended himself after being implicated in a sporting fraud investigation.
The Italian Referees Association (AIA) confirmed the temporary departure following inquiries launched by the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Andrea Gervasoni, the video assistant referee (VAR) supervisor for Serie A and Serie B, has also stepped aside after being placed under investigation.
Allegations of referee favouritism
According to Italian news agency AGI, the former international official faces allegations of complicity in sporting fraud during the 2024-25 campaign.
The 52-year-old is accused of assigning a specific official to an Inter Milan fixture simply because that referee was favoured by the club.
Another incident under intense scrutiny involves a VAR decision not to intervene when an Inter Milan player allegedly elbowed an opponent.
Pressuring match officials
The referee designator is additionally accused of improperly influencing the review process during Udinese’s 1-0 victory over Parma.
It is claimed he pressured a VAR official into instructing the on-field referee to review a potential handball on the pitchside monitor.
The match officials had initially dismissed the penalty appeals but subsequently reversed their decision, allowing Florian Thauvin to score the decisive winning goal.
‘Unscathed and stronger’
A preliminary hearing regarding the serious allegations is scheduled to take place on Thursday.
Sporting fraud is a criminal offence in Italy and carries a potential maximum prison sentence of six years.
“This painful and difficult decision, shared with my family, is intended to allow the judicial process to proceed smoothly, from which I am certain I will emerge unscathed and stronger than before.”
“My great love for my association and my sense of responsibility for the role I hold lead me, above all, to protect such an important group of athletes, whom I do not want to be affected in any way by my circumstances.”
The suspended chief concluded by stating he eagerly awaits further legal developments to fully clarify his position.
