Overview

• Rai Sport director Paolo Petrecca informed staff by email that Varriale’s contract was terminated for just cause, formalizing the end of his long suspension.
• In June, a Rome court convicted Varriale in first instance of stalking and injuries, sentencing him to 10 months with a suspended term and mandating a rehabilitation program for perpetrators of violence against women.
• Company messaging reported by multiple outlets presents the dismissal as formally separate from the non-final criminal cases, citing grave breaches of contractual obligations.
• A second criminal proceeding on allegations of stalking and injuries brought by another former partner is still underway.
• Varriale said he will challenge the firing and is appealing the June verdict, and he referenced a January 2025 labor ruling that found he had been dequalified by Rai while off air.