Milan prosecutors have dismissed a sports fraud case against Gianluca Rocchi, the former head of referees for Serie A and Serie B, and his deputy Andrea Gervasoni. The decision follows an investigation that began in April, focusing on allegations of influencing VAR decisions and manipulating referee appointments.

The Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Wednesday that it found "no evidence of a structured system aimed at interfering with appointments." Rocchi faced accusations related to incidents during the 2024-25 season, including claims that he altered the officiating for an Inter Milan match to favor the club. Notably, Inter, who finished just one point behind Serie A champions Napoli that season, were not implicated in any wrongdoing.

Further allegations suggested Rocchi interfered with VAR protocols during a Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on 1 March 2025. He was accused of banging on the VAR booth window and recommending an on-field review for a penalty. Documentation related to this incident has been forwarded to the Monza Public Prosecutor’s Office, as the VAR operations room falls under their jurisdiction.

Rocchi stepped down amid the investigation, with Dino Tommasi and then Daniele Orsato taking over his duties. His lawyer, Antonio D’Avirro, expressed Rocchi's relief at the dismissal, stating, "Fortunately, the situation was resolved quickly, even though the price Rocchi had to pay was steep." D’Avirro argued that the actions in question were intended to rectify a significant referee error rather than alter match outcomes.

In the previous season, Inter captured the Serie A title, finishing nine points ahead of Napoli, although they were eliminated in the Champions League play-off round by Bodø/Glimt. The upcoming 2026-27 Serie A season is set to commence on 23 August and conclude on 30 May 2027, with Inter aiming to defend their title against renewed competition from Napoli and AC Milan, who now have new managers.