​The probe into referees and the VAR system, which led to Gianluca Rocchi being placed under formal investigation for alleged sports fraud by Milan’s prosecutor Maurizio Ascione, now appears likely to be shelved due to insufficient evidence. The affair first came to light on April 25, when Rocchi was formally investigated, with the focus lying mainly on events from the 2024-25 season. Central to the accusations was the claim that some referees were chosen over others who were not favored by certain clubs, raising questions about potential manipulation of officiating.
Another line of inquiry alleged that Rocchi stood near the glass window of the VAR booth in the center in Lissone, close to Milan, and attempted to influence officials’ decisions in real time. Photographs from this period show Rocchi at various events in his capacity as a top Italian official, including a 2022 appearance in Florence when he was a renowned referee and designator for Serie A and Serie B. While these footage references added to the scandal’s drama, the core of the case extended beyond individual gestures to concerns about how referees were assigned.
Despite months of interviews, sources indicate that the case has produced insufficient evidence to move forward, and it is expected to be put aside. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Rocchi initially invoked his rights to refuse answering questions, but later agreed to speak with investigators for four hours when called again a few days later. Consequently, the charges were adjusted, and the allegation concerning Rocchi tapping the VAR booth window—an action that would have breached protocol—was removed.
What remains under scrutiny is the claim that Rocchi steered officiating by avoiding certain referees because Inter was perceived as not appreciating their performances and preferred other candidates. This line of inquiry persisted into the 2025-26 season, with Rocchi designating Maurizio Mariani to a Torino-Inter match in April 2026, at a time when Inter’s Scudetto status had effectively been settled. He also assigned Gianluca Manganiello to Inter-Verona in May 2025, citing a preference against the alternative, Simone Sozza.
A critical complication in advancing the case is the nature of the phone communications. The conversations allegedly did not involve official Inter representatives but rather other figures within the refereeing community who voiced Inter’s concerns about certain officials. If there was no direct collusion with Inter, the path to prosecuting any wrongdoing becomes murkier, particularly since neither Inter nor their delegates were under formal investigation.
From an SEO perspective, this narrative underscores how allegations surrounding referees, the VAR, and high-profile officials have repeatedly intersected with institutional football governance, disciplinary procedures, and media scrutiny. The evolving story highlights the complexity of tracing influence in match officiating, where perceptions of bias can be as impactful as any concrete evidence of wrongdoing. As the investigation appears to have lost tempo due to insufficient evidence, the broader questions about transparency in referee assignments and the relationship between clubs and officials continue to attract attention from fans, analysts, and stakeholders across Italian football and beyond.