Former Serie A and Serie B referee Daniele Minelli has voiced concerns, asserting that officiating blunders have escalated significantly after an investigation into referee designator Gianluca Rocchi commenced last year.
Rocchi is currently under scrutiny for alleged involvement in sporting fraud, a charge more severe than any faced during the notorious Calciopoli scandal.
The situation began in May 2025 when former assistant referee Domenico Rocca lodged a complaint against Rocchi with the Italian Referees’ Association (AIA).
While the FIGC prosecutor’s office investigated and closed the matter last year, the public prosecutor’s office in Milan has now taken up the investigation due to potential criminal implications.
The core of the investigation revolves around an incident during the Udinese vs. Parma Serie A match on March 1, 2025. During a penalty review, VAR official Daniele Paterna appeared to be influenced by an external voice, asking, “is it a penalty?”, sparking claims of outside interference in VAR decisions.
Reports suggest that other incidents are also being examined, including referee Daniele Doveri being sidelined from certain Inter Milan matches in the latter part of the 2024-25 season due to not being deemed a “favourable” choice for the club.
Minelli Details Allegations in Refereeing Scandal
Speaking to AGI, Minelli, who officiated primarily in Serie B with limited top-flight appearances, stated that interference in the VAR room was common knowledge among officials.
He explained that referees whose errors were overturned by VAR received higher ratings, increasing their chances of officiating major games. Conversely, those whose mistakes were not corrected saw their rankings drop, potentially affecting their payment.
“The ‘knocks on the glass’ of the VAR room? People talked about it, and it was widely known that the protocol did not permit it,” Minelli stated.
Regarding the Udinese vs. Parma incident, Minelli believes that a VAR official awarding a penalty would have directly impacted their performance rating, their internal standing, and consequently, their remuneration and potentially the league standings for the clubs involved.
Minelli alleges that Rocchi and his assistants influenced VAR decisions. However, he notes that these incidents reportedly decreased significantly after Rocca’s complaint last year, coinciding with a surge in refereeing errors.
“Ever since Rocchi and his assistants stopped appearing in Lissone (the VAR hub), because the federation mandated the federal prosecutor’s presence in the VAR room after Rocca’s complaint, refereeing errors have multiplied at an alarming rate. I don’t know if that’s the reason, but I’ve never seen so many this year.
“If mistakes were corrected in some cases but not others, it’s clear that this skewed the referees’ rankings, as those whose mistakes were corrected received a positive rating, while others received a negative one. You only need to watch the footage from the VAR room in recent years: you can hear the suggestions being made.”
English Translation:
Former referee Daniele Minelli has come forward with further claims and details concerning the recent refereeing scandal, asserting that officiating errors have “multiplied at an alarming rate” since a complaint was filed against referee designator Gianluca Rocchi last year.
Rocchi, who oversees referees in Serie A and Serie B, is currently under investigation for suspected involvement in sporting fraud, a serious accusation not even leveled during the infamous Calciopoli scandal.
The issue originated in May 2025 when former assistant referee Domenico Rocca submitted a letter of complaint about designator Rocchi to the Italian Referees’ Association (AIA).
FIGC prosecutor Giuseppe Chine confirmed the matter was investigated and closed last year. However, it is now being examined by the public prosecutor’s office in Milan due to potential criminal relevance.
The investigation centers on an incident during the Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025. During a review for a potential penalty, VAR official Daniele Paterna seemed inclined to rule it out. However, footage shows Paterna looking back, appearing to speak to someone behind him, and asking, “is it a penalty?”. This has led to allegations that VAR decisions were being influenced by external parties.
Reports in Italy indicate that various other incidents are under review. This includes referee Daniele Doveri being removed from certain Inter Milan matches at the end of the 2024-25 season, as he was reportedly not considered a “favourable” appointment for the Nerazzurri.
Minelli Provides Further Details and Allegations in Refereeing Scandal
Speaking to news agency AGI (via La Gazzetta dello Sport), former referee Minelli, whose officiating career was mainly in Serie B with a few top-flight assignments, claimed that interference in the VAR room was common knowledge among officials.
He also stated that referees whose errors were corrected by VAR received higher ratings, making them more likely to officiate important matches. Conversely, those whose mistakes were not rectified would drop lower in the rankings and, in some instances, might not be paid.
“The knocks (on the glass) of the VAR room? People were talking about it, and it was well known that the protocol didn’t allow it,” Minelli said.
Minelli elaborated on the Udinese vs. Parma case, explaining that if the VAR official awarded a penalty, it would impact their rating and, consequently, the internal ranking that determines referees’ assignments and payment. He added that such decisions could also have repercussions for the clubs in the league table.
Minelli claims that referee designator Rocchi and his assistants influenced certain decisions in the VAR room. He also noted that these incidents significantly decreased after Rocca’s complaint last year, which, he believes, has led to an increase in refereeing errors.
“Ever since Rocchi and his assistants stopped turning up in Lissone, because the federation required the federal prosecutor to be present in the VAR room after Rocca’s complaint, refereeing errors have multiplied at an alarming rate. I don’t know if that’s the reason, but I’ve never seen as many as this year.
“If mistakes were corrected in some cases but not in others, it’s clear that this has skewed the referees’ rankings, because those whose mistakes were corrected received a positive rating, while those who weren’t received a negative one. You only need to watch the footage from the VAR room from recent years: you can hear the suggestions being made.”