A case that shakes the world of Italian football: several international referees, including the famous Gianluca Rocchi e Daniel Orsato, were sanctioned by the tax authorities for tax evasion on the compensation received from UEFA between 2018 and 2022. The news, reported by La Repubblica, highlights a story involving approximately 50 referees, including assistants and VAR officials.
The investigations, started by the Guardia di Finanza in the spring of 2023, revealed that the fees for European matches – which involve minimum payments of €8.000 per match – had not been reported to the tax authorities. In some cases, the payments were made on foreign accounts, fueling suspicions and investigations.
The investigations conducted by theInland Revenue they involved earnings of less than 100.
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Rocchi and Orsato among the protagonists
Among the prominent names, figure Gianluca Rocchi, now the referee designator for Serie A and B, who declared to La Repubblica: “I closed all the pending issues, it was a mix-up”. His lawyer, Roberto Cordeiro Guerra, he added: “It was a mistake related to rules that were not entirely clear. My client regularized his position immediately”.
The Daniel Orsato, one of the most prestigious referees in recent years at a global level – with a Champions League final and a World Cup semi-final under his belt – is among those involved, but has not released any statements. The entire affair, handled with discretion to avoid immediate repercussions on the referees' careers, nevertheless represents a blow to the reputation of the Italian refereeing class, already often criticized for its management of VAR and other controversies.
Il Code of Ethics of the Italian Referees Association (AIA) provides that behaviors that do not comply with the law may lead to disciplinary measures. Now the issue could come to the Federal Prosecutor's Office FIGC, which will evaluate whether to open an investigation for any sporting consequences.
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