Italian football is once again grappling with a refereeing scandal that has revived painful memories of the Calciopoli affair. Gianluca Rocchi, the chief of match officials for Serie A and Serie B, is under investigation for alleged complicity in sporting fraud. The allegations come at a particularly sensitive time, just as Inter Milan were poised to potentially clinch the Serie A title.
Rocchi Suspends Himself Amid Investigation
On Saturday, news agency Agenzia Italia reported that Rocchi, who oversees referee designations for Italy's top two divisions, is being probed by Milan prosecutors. He immediately suspended himself from his role at the National Referees’ Committee (CAN). Andrea Gervasoni, the VAR supervisor for the same body, also stepped aside after being implicated in the same investigation.
Rocchi released a statement through the Italian Referees’ Association, expressing his desire to minimise disruption to colleagues while the legal process unfolds. He expressed confidence that he would emerge from the situation stronger. However, lawyers for both men stated they were still unclear about the precise nature of the charges.
Echoes of Calciopoli
Twenty years after the Calciopoli scandal, which saw Juventus stripped of two Serie A titles and relegated, plus points deductions for five other clubs, Italian football is haunted by the spectre of history repeating itself. In that case, wiretaps revealed a system of back-channel lobbying to influence referee appointments. Now, a headline-grabbing detail from the Milan prosecutor’s investigation claims that Rocchi agreed to assign specific officials for certain Inter games late last season.
According to the prosecutor, Rocchi met with unnamed individuals during the first leg of Inter’s Coppa Italia semi-final against Milan in April and accepted a suggestion to have Andrea Colombo referee their league match against Bologna. It was also allegedly agreed that Daniele Doveri would officiate the second leg of that cup tie but not the final. However, Inter never played the final after being thrashed 4-1 on aggregate by Milan. They also lost to Bologna, with manager Simone Inzaghi blaming the officials for a controversial throw-in that led to the winning goal.
Inter President Expresses Surprise
Inter president Giuseppe Marotta stated that the club was taken aback by the news. “The statements made have amazed us,” he said. “We don’t have a list of referees we like and don’t like, for starters. We know we have acted with absolute correctness, and this fact should help everyone to stay calm.”
Prominent Italian media outlets, including Sky Sport, reported that Inter and its directors are not under investigation, with the prosecutor’s focus solely on the referees.
Rocchi’s Lawyer Questions Allegations
Rocchi’s lawyer, Antonio D’Avirro, said it was impossible to respond properly to the accusations at this stage. “It’s hard to understand these allegations, because they imply the complicity of several people but none of [the other] people are named … Rocchi was going to every stadium. The prosecutor needs to say who these people were.”
Other Allegations: VAR Interference
The investigation also includes claims that Rocchi improperly intervened in a VAR decision during Udinese’s win over Parma last March. Referee Fabio Maresca had initially waved play on after a handball incident, but VAR official Daniele Paterna was seen turning to someone off-screen and appearing to mouth “it’s a penalty?” after Rocchi allegedly tapped on the booth window. Maresca then conducted an on-pitch review and awarded a penalty, which Udinese converted to win 1-0.
Gervasoni is similarly accused of interfering in a penalty decision during Salernitana’s Serie B match against Modena that same month.
Comparisons to Calciopoli Dismissed by Some
While D’Avirro dismissed comparisons to Calciopoli, describing the current case as involving only a few individuals compared to hundreds back then, others urged caution. Giancarlo Abete, head of Italy’s non-league football body, reminded reporters that the investigation is at an early stage and that judgments should not be made prematurely.
Timing Adds to Turmoil
The scandal comes at a messy moment for Italian football, with the national federation yet to elect a new president after Gabriele Gravina resigned following the World Cup qualifying failure. Additionally, the president of the Italian Referees’ Association, Antonio Zappi, is currently appealing a 13-month suspension unrelated to this case.
Inter’s Title Hopes Unaffected
Despite the turmoil, Inter’s Serie A title hopes remain intact. After Napoli’s win over Cremonese, Inter needed a victory to seal the Scudetto but could only manage a 2-2 draw with Torino, having led 2-0. With a 10-point cushion and four games remaining, they are still overwhelming favourites to clinch the title at home against Parma next Sunday.
The match against Torino featured an impressive comeback led by Giovanni Simeone, who scored his fifth goal in eight games. The equaliser came from a penalty awarded after a VAR review for handball against Inter’s Carlos Augusto.
Inter coach Christian Chivu refused to discuss referees, stating he had not done so all season. However, the rest of Italian football may not be so fortunate, as this latest scandal threatens to dominate the agenda for some time.
