TOKYO (Reuters) - FIFA boss Sepp Blatter has cautioned Lazio's Paolo Di Canio about the player's fascist salute to fans last weekend, revealing that soccer's governing body was keeping track of the controversial Italian's actions.

Blatter said FIFA had a dossier on Di Canio and promised tough measures would be taken to punish players and clubs found guilty of racist behaviour.

The FIFA president added that Di Canio could possibly find himself kicked out of the game if such a verdict were delivered.

"We now have this item in our files," Blatter told a small gathering of invited journalists on Friday.

"My reaction is that we have to be very tough against all discrimination in our game," he added.

"I cannot make an assessment of fact on Di Canio yet as I only know what has been reported.

"But in such cases we must also exclude players from our family."

Di Canio's indiscretion in Livorno on Sunday was the most recent in a series of controversies which have sparked renewed accusations that racism is rife in the Italian game.

Lazio fans also held up a swastika during the match while the home supporters chanted anti-fascist songs.

Di Canio was fined 10,000 euros (6,779 pounds) for making a similar fascist salute at the end of a city derby with Roma in January.

The 37-year-old has defended his action and called on the Rome club, which traditionally has many far-right followers, to fight off any disciplinary action.

Italian clubs delayed the kickoff of matches by five minutes two weeks ago to protest against racism after Messina's Ivory Coast defender Marc Zoro was abused by Inter Milan fans.

Blatter said that clubs found to be persistent offenders could face stiff penalties.

"Definitely, the only sanction you can take against racism is the deduction of points, suspension or expulsion from competition -- or even relegation to the next league," he said.

"It's a shame for sport. A financial sentence is nothing. We have to be really tough."

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