A leading sports lawyer has stated it is "absolutely premature" to suggest Serie A clubs, including Inter Milan, face immediate sporting risk from the ongoing criminal investigation into Italy's refereeing association. Mattia Grassani, an expert in sports law, made the comments during multiple media appearances as the scandal surrounding the Italian Referees Association (AIA) continues to unfold. The investigation, which has led to the resignation of AIA president Alfredo Intagliata, centres on allegations of sporting fraud against designator Gianluca Rocchi and his assistant, Fabio Gervasoni.
Grassani clarified the current legal standing, noting that the criminal probe currently lists only Rocchi and Gervasoni as suspects. "The criminal investigation has as suspects exclusively two AIA members. There are no Serie A sports societies, no executives, no footballers and coaches," Grassani said on Rai Radio 1. He added that clubs like Inter, which have been mentioned in media reports as potential beneficiaries of any alleged scheme, are "absolutely extraneous from a sporting profile" at this stage.
The sports justice process is moving separately and more quickly. Federal prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné formally requested the investigation documents from Milan's ordinary judiciary last Saturday. Grassani explained that the sports prosecutor will conduct autonomous investigations and can summon Rocchi and Gervasoni, who are obligated to answer all questions, unlike in the criminal system where they could remain silent. Grassani expects "very incisive activities shortly" to assess the allegations, which he described as representing "elements of criticality and profound weakness" in the refereeing system.
Addressing calls from political quarters for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to be placed under emergency administration, Grassani dismissed the idea as an "emotional and gut reaction." He argued that with a resigning president and elections pending, the prerequisites for such a move do not exist. He stated that politics must respect sporting autonomy and that, if anything, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) would be the body to take such a step—a scenario he finds "quite improbable."
Grassani also addressed the potential for the investigation to expand, acknowledging it is a "plausible and recurring hypothesis" that other, as-yet-unidentified subjects could be added for allegedly contributing to the illicit activity. He firmly rejected, however, any suggestion that the investigation should be moved from Milan to Rome due to the lead prosecutor's alleged support for Inter, calling it a "provocation" not permitted under law.
The legal expert outlined the severe potential penalties under Italian law. Sporting fraud carries a prison sentence of two to six years, which can extend to nine. From a sporting disciplinary perspective, the consequences could be even more immediate and drastic for any club found culpable. "For clubs, the minimum is a 3-point penalty," Grassani told DAZN. "And in the case where the legal representatives acted on behalf of the clubs, relegation to last place in the standings." For implicated officials, the minimum sporting sanction would be a four-year ban.
Grassani drew cautious parallels to the 2006 Calciopoli scandal that resulted in Juventus's relegation, noting "sad and sinister common modalities." He pointed out that, like then, no players or coaches are currently under investigation, and no money circulation has been alleged. The alleged modus operandi, however, involves a system where designators influenced the assignment of referees to specific matches. The current crisis, he concluded, has left the already struggling refereeing class "decapitated" of its technical leadership, causing significant damage to the system's credibility.
