Investigations are ongoing
©IMAGO
The referee coordinator of the Italian Serie A and B, Gianluca Rocchi, is being investigated on suspicion of involvement in sports fraud. The 52-year-old Italian is said to have put pressure on referees and influenced VAR decisions, as media reported. Several games from last season are to be reviewed.
Rocchi announced in a statement that he would be resigning from his position. He denied any involvement in illegal acts and said he was confident he would emerge unscathed and strengthened. The Italian referees’ association AIA announced that the person responsible for VAR, Andrea Gervasoni, has also temporarily suspended himself from his position.
Specifically, according to reports, it is about the Serie A matches Udinese against Parma, which Udinese won thanks to a penalty, and Inter against Hellas, which the Milanese won 2-1. Rocchi is said to have influenced colleagues in a certain VAR center.
The Agi news agency published a video from the investigation in which VAR referee Daniele Paterna can be seen initially deciding against a penalty after a possible handball scene. However, after he turns to a person, he recommends that the referee in the stadium check the images – the referee then decides on a penalty.
The sports newspaper “Gazzetta dello Sport” reported that there was also a suspicion that Rocchi had chosen referees who were favorable to the Inter Milan club when making appointments. In his statement, Rocchi further stated that he had always acted correctly in the face of the allegations.
