Italy players have been forbidden from using Twitter during the World Cup

Balotelli in action for Italy

Italy manager Cesare Prandelli has prevented his players from using Twitter during next year’s World Cup in Brazil, The Guardian reports.

“New rules will come into force, and they will be more stringent,” Prandelli said. “We are looking at banning the use of social networks for players. The restriction will definitely be in force for the World Cup training camp.”

Italy forward Mario Balotelli caused the ban to be enforced when he took to Twitter to shoot down claims made by tabloid Gazzetta dello Sport, who said that he was a role model in the anti-mafia campaign. The Italian squad held a training session with a club that had links to the mafia.

Balotelli took to Twitter to respond to the claim saying: “That’s what you say! I’m coming because football is great and everyone should play it where they want to and then there’s the match!!!!”

Anti-mafia activist, Rosaria Capacchione, called Balotelli an “imbecile” but the player received support from Italian football federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete who said that he was constantly “in the eye of the cyclone”

Meanwhile Italy have already booked a berth in the 2014 World Cup and are set to play Armenia in Naples on Tuesday.