MILAN (AP) — Italian soccer is in crisis on and off the field, with another refereeing scandal emerging on the heels of the men's team's repeated failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Gianluca Rocchi, the head of referees in Serie A and Serie B, has been placed under criminal investigation for alleged sports fraud and will appear in court in Milan on Thursday.
Also under investigation is VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni.
Rocchi, who has been accused of influencing VAR decisions and altering the selection of referees, has stepped away from his role while awaiting further developments.
“We have a duty to guarantee that the soccer system ensures transparency and equal treatment,” Serie A president Ezio Simonelli said in a statement. “Trusting in the work of the competent bodies, it cannot be a notice of investigation that calls into question the intellectual honesty and the work of an entire system.
“If it turns out that someone made a mistake, it will be right for them to pay. But it is never allowed to question the credibility of the system and the regularity of the championship.”
Rocchi is under investigation for incidents during the 2024-25 season. He allegedly interfered with VAR protocols during a Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025, by banging on the window of the VAR booth and recommending that the officials call for an on-field review of a penalty.
Italian media reports that Rocchi’s selection of referees is also being examined amid suggestions he changed the official for an Inter Milan match to one who was more favorable towards the Nerazzurri.
Inter, which finished a point behind Serie A champion Napoli, has not been implicated.
The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) investigated a complaint against Rocchi for the VAR booth incident last year but dismissed disciplinary proceedings in July. However, the issue has resurfaced with the launch of the criminal investigation.
FIGC Prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné said he is in contact with the public prosecutor’s office in Milan and will reconsider reopening the FIGC investigation if new evidence emerges.
Italian soccer was already in crisis after the national team failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso earlier this month.
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FILE - Referee Gianluca Rocchi holds the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Roma, at the Allianz stadium in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Aug.1, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
