The investigation into alleged referee manipulation in Italian football took a significant step forward on Friday, May 8, 2026, as Milan's Public Prosecutor Maurizio Ascione conducted marathon interrogations with three key figures. Giorgio Schenone, the referee liaison officer for Inter Milan, was questioned for approximately three hours in a closed session at the Palazzo di Giustizia. He was joined by Dino Tommasi, the newly appointed referee designator who replaced the suspended Gianluca Rocchi, and Antonio Zappi, the former president of the Italian Referees' Association (AIA). All three were summoned as persons informed of the facts, not as suspects.
The focus on Schenone is particularly noteworthy. The former assistant referee, now serving as Inter's referee club manager, was previously mentioned in intercepted communications where Rocchi allegedly discussed referees favored by the Nerazzurri. Prosecutors suspect that Schenone may have been present at a meeting on April 2, 2025, at San Siro, where discussions about manipulating referee assignments to benefit Inter allegedly took place. If confirmed, such a meeting would be highly suspicious, as it would have bypassed the official channel then coordinated by Riccardo Pinzani.
Despite the intense scrutiny on Schenone, neither he nor any other member of Inter's management is currently under investigation. The five individuals formally under investigation remain exclusively referees: Gianluca Rocchi, Andrea Gervasoni, Rodolfo Di Vuolo, Luigi Nasca, and Daniele Paterna. This distinction is crucial, as it frames the current phase of the inquiry as focused on the officials themselves rather than the clubs they may have served.
The interrogation of Dino Tommasi, lasting about two and a half hours, is also significant. As the new designator, he holds the keys to the system that is at the heart of the allegations. His testimony could provide insight into the current state of the assignment process and any reforms implemented since Rocchi's self-suspension. Antonio Zappi's role is historical but relevant; he was the one who originally presented an internal complaint from assistant referee Domenico Rocca regarding Rocchi's alleged "knocks" or improper contacts. That complaint was ultimately archived by the Federal Prosecutor's Office as not meriting further investigation.
Following that internal complaint, Zappi changed AIA regulations, requiring anyone visiting the Lissone training center to file a written report detailing their activities. According to the source, after this rule was implemented, neither Rocchi nor his collaborators returned to the facility. This regulatory change, and the subsequent behavior, forms a key part of the historical context prosecutors are examining.
Legal expert Roberto Afeltra, speaking to TMW Radio, provided a crucial perspective on the potential sporting consequences. He emphasized that while Schenone is not directly implicating Inter as a club, the investigation could lead to penalties for the upcoming season. "Schenone does not directly engage the club, so we would be talking about a penalty for the following season, as happened to Milan in 2006," Afeltra stated, drawing a direct parallel to the Calciopoli scandal. He also predicted the preliminary investigations would not conclude before autumn 2026, as a six-month extension has been requested.
This timeline is critical for the sporting justice system. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is currently in a holding pattern, waiting for the Milan prosecutors to lift the secrecy of the investigation and make the case file public. Only then will the FIGC's Federal Prosecutor decide whether to reopen its own sporting inquiry. For now, the entire matter remains anchored in the criminal justice system, with sporting repercussions deferred to a potential second phase.
The case, therefore, exists in a state of legal and sporting limbo. The criminal investigation advances with these high-profile interrogations, but the sporting consequences—which could include points deductions or other sanctions for clubs—remain speculative and distant. The focus on Schenone, a direct link between the refereeing apparatus and a top club, suggests prosecutors are meticulously building a chain of evidence. Whether that chain leads to charges against individuals or implicates institutional structures will determine the ultimate impact on Italian football.
Based on reporting from Tuttosport.com - Calcio.