Former Serie A referee chief cleared after being accused of influencing VAR decisions | OneFootball

Milan prosecutors have dismissed a sports fraud case against Gianluca Rocchi, the former head of referees for Serie A and Serie B, and his deputy Andrea Gervasoni.

The decision follows an investigation launched in April into allegations of influencing VAR decisions and manipulating referee appointments.

The Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office stated on Wednesday it found "no evidence of a structured system aimed at interfering with appointments."

Rocchi had been accused of incidents during the 2024-25 season, including allegedly changing an official for an Inter Milan match to one more favourable to the club. Inter, who finished a point behind Serie A champions Napoli that season, were not implicated.

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Rocchi was accused of influencing VAR decisions (Getty)

Further allegations centred on Rocchi interfering with VAR protocols during a Serie A fixture between Udinese and Parma on 1 March 2025. He was accused of banging on the VAR booth window and recommending an on-field review for a penalty.

Documents concerning this incident have been passed to the Monza Public Prosecutor’s Office, as the VAR operations room falls under their jurisdiction.

Rocchi stepped down during the investigation, with Dino Tommasi and then Daniele Orsato taking over.

His lawyer, Antonio D’Avirro, said: "I’ve spoken to him and he is very pleased; now we will consider our next steps. I’m meeting him tomorrow to discuss the matter in detail."

D’Avirro added: "Fortunately, the situation was resolved quickly, even though the price Rocchi had to pay was steep. I fail to see how those ‘knocks’ could constitute sporting fraud; they were intended to correct a serious error the referee was making, certainly not to alter the match result. From a legal standpoint, I do not see how a case for sporting fraud could be established."

Inter did win the Serie A title last year, finishing nine points clear of Napoli in their first season under Cristian Chivu. However, they were knocked out in the Champions League play-off round by Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt.

The 2026-27 Serie A season is due to begin on 23 August and finish on 30 May 2027, with Inter aiming to defend their title, while rivals Napoli and AC Milan now have new managers.