Italian Referee Chief Gianluca Rocchi Under Official Investigation for Match-Fixing and Improper Influence

Gianluca Rocchi, head of Italian referees, is under investigation for alleged manipulation of referee appointments and VAR interference in the 2024/25 season.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 25, 2026, 12:54 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from YSScores

Allegations of Targeted Referee Appointments

A major scandal has erupted in Italian football as Gianluca Rocchi, the designator for Serie A and Serie B referees, faces charges of influencing match outcomes through the manipulation of referee assignments. According to reports from Football Italia, the investigation centers on the high-profile fixture between Bologna and Inter Milan on April 20, 2025. Investigators suspect that Rocchi bypassed standard selection protocols to appoint referee Andrea Colombo specifically to appease Inter Milan's management. The "Nerazzurri" had reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the initial choice of Daniele Doveri, leading to a late tactical shift in the refereeing roster that has now drawn the attention of federal prosecutors.

The "Doveri Swap" and Coaching Tensions

The investigation suggests a complex "balancing act" conducted by the referees' committee. To manage the fallout from the Inter Milan grievance, Daniele Doveri was reassigned to officiate the high-stakes Milan derby in the Coppa Italia semi-finals on April 23, 2025. Sources indicate that this reshuffling was intended to mitigate institutional tension but instead provided evidence of external pressure dictating technical decisions. The probe is looking into whether these maneuvers were designed to favor specific clubs in the hunt for the Scudetto and domestic silverware.

Unauthorized Interference in VAR Operations

Beyond appointment manipulation, Rocchi faces accusations of overstepping his legal authority while serving as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) supervisor in March 2025. During a league match between Udinese and Parma, Rocchi reportedly engaged in physical and verbal interference. Allegations suggest he knocked on the control room window and insisted that match referee Daniele Paterna review an incident on the monitor. Paterna had initially declined to review the play alongside VAR Fabio Maresca; however, reports state that Paterna felt "undue pressure" from Rocchi’s intervention, eventually leading to a controversial penalty being awarded to Udinese.