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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 10: Referee Gianluca Rocchi reacts during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Manchester United and FC Barcelona at Old Trafford on April 10, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Serie A refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi insists he is ‘transparent with everyone on everything’ after he was accused of sporting fraud.
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The refereeing world has been shaken in Italy by news that Rocchi is under formal investigation for sporting fraud, a move which prompted him to suspend himself as Serie A and B chief designator.
He was meant to speak to the investigators today, but along with his lawyer decided not to attend, claiming the terms of the accusation were too vague to mount a proper defence.
Rocchi denies wrongdoing
Instead, Rocchi did speak to television show Le Iene, who pressed him on the suggestions his interference with referees favoured some clubs over others.
“We work in only one way, so there are no big problems. I am transparent with everyone on everything,” he assured.
“I repeat, I always work exclusively in one way.”
Rocchi was asked if there ought to be more clarity on the way that the VAR system is run.
“I have always been clear, so it’s not like I have to promise something that I was already doing.”
Amongst other things, he is accused of assigning referees that Inter preferred rather than Daniele Doveri to their big games towards the end of last season, and of over-stepping the protocol by banging on the window of the VAR booth while decisions were being made.
