Gianluca Rocchi, the official responsible for assigning referees in Italy's top two football leagues, has immediately suspended himself from his duties. This action comes as Milan's Public Prosecutor's Office investigates him for alleged sports fraud. Rocchi stated his decision is to allow legal proceedings to conclude, expressing confidence in his eventual vindication.
VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni has also taken a similar step. Reports suggest the investigation focuses on alleged interference with VAR protocols and biased referee selections favoring Inter Milan.
Inter Milan's President, Giuseppe Marotta, expressed surprise at the accusations, asserting the club's belief in fair play and denying any involvement or preferential treatment regarding referees. The development has ignited concerns in Italy about a potential crisis reminiscent of the 2006 Calciopoli match-fixing scandal, which led to severe sanctions for several major clubs.