Yesterday marked the beginning of the phase of external hearings outside the refereeing world as part of what is referred to as “Arbitropoli“. Riccardo Pinzani, who in the 2024-25 sports season held the role of liaison for the Figc in relations between Aia and football clubs, thus interfacing with the referee managers of the clubs, and Andrea Butti, head of the Competitions Office of the Serie A League, were heard before Prosecutor Ascione. Neither is under investigation and they were interviewed as people informed of the facts. Here is what the Corriere dello Sport reports:

“Stated objective: Gianluca Rocchi. Yesterday in the Milan Prosecutor’s Office the hearings resumed before prosecutor Ascione regarding the investigation that led to the indictment of the former referee selector (self-suspended), Gervasoni, Di Vuolo and Nasca for ‘sports fraud’ and Paterna for ‘false information’. For the first time, the hearings were ‘extended’ outside the refereeing world, as in the afternoon it was Andrea Butti’s turn, Head of Competitions and Operations of Serie A. According to sources close to the Prosecutor’s Office, yesterday the investigators focused especially on the functioning of the IBC Center in Lissone, where the VAR is based, one of the many chapters of this investigation (the famous ‘knocks’). Among the questions were also those about possible pressure from Rocchi, since the two were in frequent contact. This is normal: Butti, just as an example, also had to organize the referees’ travel in case of competitions outside Italy, such as the Supercoppa.

The impression is that even in this case there were no answers that brought new developments to the investigation, which is entirely focused on finding out especially with whom Rocchi may have ‘conspired’ for sports fraud and what his advantage was. In the four months of wiretaps, the only one that emerged is the one in which Rocchi talks with Gervasoni about Doveri, a referee who would be unwelcome to Inter: ‘They don’t want to see him anymore.’ The thesis that – according to various testimonies – seems to be emerging, however, is that Rocchi’s choices (perhaps using colorful expressions, as only Tuscans can) were always made to find ‘the best referee for the best match’, also studying precedents and controversies. The proof would also be in one of the choices made by Rocchi during his tenure, namely abolishing territorial preclusion. In fact, for example, Doveri and La Penna have officiated Roma and Lazio, Sozza (who is from Seregno) the Milan teams, and so on. Yesterday, Riccardo Pinzani, former AIA/club coordinator (for three years), was also heard by Ascione, and he reportedly explained the (completely legitimate) relations with Schenone, whose position may be reviewed.”