Italian Football Reeling as Gianluca Rocchi Suspends Duties Amid Expanding Sporting Fraud Investigation

Serie A referee chief Gianluca Rocchi suspends duties amid sports fraud probe. Learn how the investigation impacts Inter Milan and Simone Inzaghi.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 5:25 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from YSScores

Referee Designator Steps Aside Amid Criminal Probe

Gianluca Rocchi, the official responsible for assigning referees to Serie A and Serie B fixtures, has officially suspended himself from his duties following a notice of investigation from the Milan Prosecutor’s Office. The probe, led by Prosecutor Maurizio Ascione, centers on allegations of "participation in sports fraud" concerning several high-profile matches over the last two seasons. In a statement released through the Italian Referees Association (AIA), Rocchi described the decision as painful but necessary to protect the integrity of the officiating body while he seeks to clarify his position in upcoming judicial hearings.

Allegations of Targeted Official Appointments

A primary focus of the investigation involves the alleged "piloting" of referee selections for Inter Milan matches. Prosecutors are examining claims that official Andrea Colombo was specifically chosen for an encounter between Inter and Bologna because he was perceived as being favored by the Milanese club. The investigation also encompasses the conduct of VAR chief Andrea Gervasoni, who has similarly suspended his role. Authorities are looking into whether specific officials were pressured to influence match outcomes, though it is important to note that no formal charges have been leveled against the clubs or their technical staff at this stage.

Inzaghi Trapped in the Wake of Historical Decisions

The investigation has cast a shadow over the tenure of Simone Inzaghi, who departed Inter Milan in June 2025 to take over the managerial reins at Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. While Inzaghi has distanced himself from Italian football’s ongoing administrative crises, the current probe revisits several controversial moments from his final seasons in Serie A. Specifically, investigators are reviewing a 2023-24 incident involving defender Alessandro Bastoni during a match against Verona, where a VAR oversight allowed a decisive Inter goal to stand despite an apparent foul, leading to the subsequent demotion of the VAR official involved.