Rome, March 4 (IANS) Italy head coach Cesare Prandelli’s code of ethics stirred up a controversy as former Italy international Angelo Di Livio criticised his decision to drop Daniele De Rossi from his squad.

De Rossi was left out of the Azzurri to face Spain as he has been banned for three games after being found to have punched Mauro Icardi in the face during Saturday’s Serie A match between Roma and Inter Milan, reports Xinhua.

The decision to drop De Rossi was made according to Prandelli’s code of ethics, which stipulates that any player who is serving suspension will not be included in his team.

Di Livio described the code as farce.

“De Rossi made a mistake with what he did,” he said. “He got wound up and then he punched someone.”

“He was wrong, but Prandelli’s code of ethics is a farce,” he said.

He suggested that Prandelli was adopting double standards.

“He only enforces it when he wants to. Balotelli has done so much wrong without ever being punished. Why these double standards? The code of ethics needs revising,” he said.