Italy's Senate approves anti-hooligan law

MILAN (Reuters) - The anti-hooligan measures formulated after the death of a policeman during rioting at a Serie A match passed into Italian law on Tuesday after being approved by the country's Senate.

The Senate voted for the law by a landslide majority of 244 votes to one. There were 20 abstentions.

Most of the measures contained in the law were included in the initial decree that was formulated in the days following the death of police inspector Filippo Raciti outside Catania's Massimino stadium on February 2 and are already in force at Italian football matches.

Under Italian law, however, a decree must pass into law within 60 days to become permanent.

The measures include a ban on the block sale of tickets to visiting fans, fines of between 20,000 and 100,000 euros ($133,600) for clubs found to have ties with organisations of hardcore "ultra" fans, prison sentences for those who force matches to be abandoned by throwing flares and firecrackers and a ban on banners that incite violence.

The law, however, made one significant addition to the decree by obliging clubs to give out free tickets to under 14s. The measure is aimed at stemming the steady exodus of families from Italy's football grounds.

Interior Minister Giuliano Amato dedicated the new law to memory of Raciti.

"It was important that the decree against football violence became law today, otherwise the fundamental rules of security for our sport and our police forces were at risk," he said.

"I consider this a tribute by everyone to the memory of Raciti."