Inter cleared as Rocchi referee probe dismissed by Milan prosecutor

In a courtroom in Milan, the Public Prosecutor announced the dismissal of the criminal case against former referee designator Gianluca Rocchi, his deputy Andrea Gervasoni, and the football club Inter Milan. The decision clears Inter of any wrongdoing linked to alleged attempts to influence referee appointments.

The Milan Public Prosecutor also dismissed the broader investigation into Rocchi, Gervasoni and other officials for alleged sporting fraud. No player or coach from any Italian team was known to be under investigation, but Inter had been under scrutiny, with suspicions that some of Rocchi’s appointments were made to please the Nerazzurri and to avoid match officials they didn’t like.

According to , Inter simultaneously entered the register of suspects, but the proceedings against the club were immediately dismissed. The club therefore faces no legal consequences from the probe.

The main allegation against Rocchi was that he exerted external pressure to influence VAR decisions during several Serie A matches. This claim focused on the integrity of the video‑assistance system rather than on on‑field refereeing.

Rocchi voluntarily stepped down while the investigation was ongoing. He was first replaced by Dino Tommasi and later by Daniele Orsato, both experienced referees.

A photo taken on 5 November 2019 shows Gianluca Rocchi officiating a UEFA Champions League Group H match between Chelsea FC and AFC Ajax at Stamford Bridge in London, United Kingdom. The image is credited to Catherine Ivill/Getty Images.

In an official statement quoted by , the Public Prosecutor’s Office said it had requested that the Preliminary Investigations Judge dismiss the criminal proceedings concerning the offence under Articles 81 and 110 of the Italian Criminal Code, and Article 1, paragraph 1 of Law No. 401/1989, relating to alleged attempts to influence the selection or exclusion of match officials.

The Milan Prosecutor’s Office added that the case file had been transferred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Monza for allegations concerning incidents that occurred in the VAR operations room. Copies of the file were also sent to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI).

The investigation did not identify any structured scheme designed to influence referee appointments, leading to the closure of the criminal probe. However, the review of evidence on VAR influence will continue, with the Monza Prosecutor examining the conduct of Luigi Nasca and Stefano Di Vuono, while Daniele Paterna’s position will continue to be examined in Milan.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has received the case files to determine whether the facts may constitute violations of sporting regulations, although this appears unlikely given that no sporting investigation had previously been opened.