Marcello Nicchi was elected to the position this week and immediately released a list of “rules for privacy and institutional communication protocols.”

These include a ban on using Facebook, MySpace or writing a blog, while taking part in internet forums is also prohibited.

“Referees are barred from making statements in public including via email, their own websites, mailing lists, forums, blogs or discussion groups such as Facebook and similar systems,” read the memo.

Anyone who breaks these rules will be deferred to the Disciplinary Commission.

In Italy the referees do not speak to the media and cannot be interviewed over their decisions even after a match has finished.