Milan Prosecutors Request Case Dismissal: Rocchi Not Guilty of Sports Fraud
After two years of investigations, a turning point — or rather, a conclusion — has arrived in the inquiry that shook Italian football. The Milan Prosecutor’s Office has filed a request for dismissal of the case against Gianluca Rocchi, the former Serie A referee designator who had been under investigation for complicity in sports fraud in connection with referee assignments for four matches, including the controversial Torino vs. Inter game from the season just concluded.
The investigative hypothesis that had dominated headlines — namely a possible systematic arrangement in favour of Inter in referee assignments — thus comes to a close with no criminal consequences for Rocchi. The prosecutors, at the conclusion of the investigative process, found insufficient evidence to sustain a charge of sports fraud in court.
Case Referred to Sports Justice and CONI
Despite the request for criminal dismissal, the matter is not entirely closed. The investigation files have been referred to the sports justice system and the CONI General Prosecutor’s Office, which will assess whether any disciplinary or sporting violations occurred. A separate process that could lead to sanctions of a different nature from criminal ones.
A fundamental question, however, remains: what was the purpose of those conversations about referee assignments, deemed anomalous by investigators? If Inter was not involved — as the investigation suggests — the nature and intentions behind those contacts remain shrouded in uncertainty. A grey area that the sporting authorities may seek to clarify.
Two Years of Controversy: Is Italian Football Turning the Page?
The investigation had fuelled a lengthy debate about the transparency and impartiality of Italian referees, with fans, professionals and media engaged in heated exchanges. The dismissal request does not erase the controversy, but legally it confirms the absence of concrete evidence of a criminal offence.
For Italian football, this chapter appears to be drawing to a close — at least on the judicial front. The sporting front remains open, pending assessments by the competent bodies. In the meantime, calls for greater transparency in the referee assignment system remain as relevant as ever.
