Calvarese defends Italian referees: Not all are poor, here’s why

Former Serie A referee Calvarese has spoken out on the controversy surrounding the Bastoni-Duda incident during the Inter Verona match. He commented on Rocchi’s view of the event, amongst other issues surrounding the use of VAR and referees in Italian football, in an interview with Tuttosport.

Calvarese stated that while he had always wished to express his viewpoints during his time as a referee, he had often felt constrained due to the unique nature of the profession. He added that it was only recently that he had come to understand that not all referees are ready and willing to comment on events post-match.

Calvarese went on to clarify that while he believes Gianluca Rocchi’s views are valid, he is concerned by certain phrases used by referees such as “If we make a mistake one minute, one minute later we will allow you to make a mistake in a penalty, it’s not me, it’s you”, and “I don’t know if you’ve seen the derby, I have, tell me if that’s a decent spectacle”. These observations appear personal, and thus, in Calvarese’s perspective, they threaten to compromise the neutrality of the referee’s position.

He concluded by emphasising, “A ref is not a footballer or a club executive who often succumbs to emotional judgments and hence gets sanctioned from time to time”.