According to reports from the Italian news agency AIA, Rocchi is under investigation by the Milan prosecutor's office for "alleged complicity in sports fraud," and is accused of interfering with VAR room decisions and favoring Inter Milan.
As the person responsible for referees in Serie A and Serie B, Rocchi is suspected of directly meddling in decisions related to video technology (VAR). The prosecutor's office reportedly possesses solid video and audio evidence for these claims, with particular scrutiny on the match between Udinese and Parma, played on March 1, 2025.
Additionally, the head of the refereeing organization is accused of "favoring" Inter by delegating referees who suited the Nerazzurri.
🔴 “A new shock for Calcio,” “Shattered,” “The new Calciopoli?”: The front pages of sports dailies, most of which cover the news that Gianluca #Rocchi, head of Italian referees, is accused of “complicity in sports fraud” for pressuring the… pic.twitter.com/2hjtf8EtxU
Two of the three main charges against Rocchi directly involve Inter. According to the AGI agency, the Italian used his position to delegate referee Andrea Colombo for the Bologna-Inter match (April 20, 2025). Colombo was reportedly a referee "tailor-made" for the visiting team, which was then engaged in a fierce title battle.
Earlier, Rocchi allegedly went so far as to delegate a referee for the return leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final between AC Milan and Inter who was "not to the liking" of the Nerazzurri, with the hidden aim of securing a favorable referee for them in the eventual final.
Interestingly, in these two mentioned matches, things did not end with Inter victories, which somewhat absolves the Milan club beyond the manipulation allegations themselves.
Gazzetta: Inter is “stunned” by the revelations surrounding Gianluca #Rocchi, the team had lost two trophies in the match in Bologna and the Coppa Italia derby. The management is “very calm” and has not received any “notice of investigation” 🗞️ pic.twitter.com/4Y2AKqMRRR
In a statement to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the management of the Milan giant said it was "completely calm" but also "stunned" by the development of the situation.
Regarding the controversial match between Udinese and Parma, Rocchi allegedly directly pressured the VAR referee to call the main referee to award a penalty for Udinese. According to the accusations, the head of referees literally knocked on the glass of the VAR room to attract attention and convey his instructions. This move constitutes a gross violation of current rules, which mandate complete autonomy and isolation of the VAR room.
Former assistant referee Domenico Rocca had previously filed reports warning about Rocchi's behavior, but they were dismissed at the time. However, the prosecutor's office now appears focused on the Udinese-Parma match due to irrefutable evidence.
According to Gazzetta, investigators are currently "combing through" a total of five matches:
Inter - Verona (January 6, 2024) Udinese - Parma (March 1, 2025) Salernitana - Modena (March 8, 2025) Bologna - Inter (April 20, 2025) Inter - AC Milan (April 23, 2025)
This news represents a huge blow to Italian football, which is already in deep crisis following poor results from clubs in Europe and the national team missing the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Sports newspaper headlines are screaming. Tuttosport openly asks: "New Calciopoli?" while Corriere dello Sport features a massive headline: "Shattered." Il Messaggero writes about an "Investigation that shakes Calcio."
On the other hand, Gianluca Rocchi says he is "calm and determined" in his intention to prove his innocence and integrity.
As a direct consequence of this scandal, new rules have been introduced: from this season, Rocchi and his assistants no longer have access to the VAR room. There, on the initiative of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), special inspectors are now stationed, tasked exclusively with preventing any external interference in refereeing.