MILAN (AP) — Italian soccer is in crisis on and off the field, with a new officiating scandal emerging after multiple officiating scandals for the men’s team. missed out on qualifying for the World Cup.
Serie A and Serie B referee chief Gianluca Rocchi is under criminal investigation on suspicion of sports fraud and is scheduled to appear in a Milan court on Thursday.
VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni is also under investigation.
Rocchi, who is accused of influencing VAR decisions and changing the selection of referees, will step back from his role pending further developments.
“We have an obligation to guarantee transparency and equal treatment in the football system,” Serie A president Ezio Simonelli said in a statement. “If we are to have confidence in the work of a competent authority, an investigation notice should not call into question the intellectual integrity and working of the entire system.
“If it turns out that someone made a mistake, it’s natural that he pays. But we can never allow anyone to question the reliability of the system or the regularity of the championship.”
Roch is under investigation for an incident during the 2024-25 season. He is accused of interfering with VAR protocols during the Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025, by banging on the window of the VAR booth and asking the referee to review an on-field penalty.
Italian media reported that the selection of referees is also being considered, as suspicions have surfaced that Rocchi may have changed the referee for the Inter Milan game to one that would be more favorable to the Nerazzurri.
Inter, who finished just one point behind Serie A champions Napoli, were not involved.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) investigated complaints against Rocchi over last year’s VAR booth incident, but dismissed disciplinary proceedings in July. However, the issue resurfaced as a criminal investigation began.
FIGC prosecutor Giuseppe Cine said he was in contact with the Milan public prosecutor’s office and would reconsider restarting the FIGC investigation if new evidence was found.
Italian football was already in crisis after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third year in a row, prompting him to resign. FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso Early this month.
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