Overview

• Petrecca told the Rai Sport editorial committee on October 1 that the broadcaster had ended Varriale’s contract for just cause, sharing the note with the wider newsroom the next day.
• Company communications presented the dismissal as a just-cause measure, with reporting indicating it was not formally tied to the pending criminal matters.
• In June, a Rome court convicted Varriale in first instance of stalking and assault, imposing a suspended 10‑month sentence, €6,000 in compensation, and mandatory participation in a program for men who commit violence against women.
• A second criminal case for alleged stalking and injuries brought by another former partner remains ongoing.
• Rai had suspended Varriale in 2022 on a precautionary basis, and he later sued the company alleging demotion during that period.