ROME (AFP) - The Italian government approved new security measures to tackle the problem of football hooliganism at an emergency cabinet meeting.

The regulations come into force immediately following the death of a policeman during crowd trouble at last Friday´s Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.

The government said there would be a firm implementation of the ´Decreto Pisanu´ - laws introduced under the previous centre-right government to curb football violence - and clubs failing to do so would be forced to play their matches behind closed doors.

These include adequate close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, named tickets, automatic turnstiles, stewarding, and crowd filtering areas outside the stadiums.

Fans caught with racist banners, fireworks or flares will be arrested.

About half of the stadiums in the top two divisions are believed to fall short of the safety standards laid down by the ´Decreto Pisanu´.

All domestic and international matches were suspended following the murder of Filippo Raciti outside the Massimino stadium on Friday evening.

Some 100 fans were injured and 40 people, including 16 minors, were arrested after the clashes between riot police and Catania supporters.