ZURICH, Switzerland -- Professional cyclists will be obliged to wear helmets under a new rule introduced following the death of Kazakh rider Andrei Kivilev in the Paris-Nice race last month, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Saturday.

The move comes after the Association of Professional Riders (CPA) passed a resolution that it would comply with the UCI should they attempt to introduce the mandatory use of helmets before the end of the current season.

"The International Cycling Union, in its support of the resolution adopted by the Management Committee of the CPA, confirmed its willingness to extend compulsory helmet wearing to professional riders," said the UCI in a statement. "The UCI feels that this preventive measure is extremely important in the context of modern cycling and would like to introduce it as quickly as possible."

It said officials were considering what sanctions to introduce if riders broke the new rule.

Using helmets had previously been only a "permanent recommendation" from the UCI after a proposal to make them mandatory provoked strike action by some riders in 1991, Reuters reported.

But the death of Kivilev, riding for the Cofidis team, led to calls for all professional riders to be forced to wear protection after team doctor, Jean-Jacques Menuet, said a helmet could have saved the rider's life.

The compulsory wearing of helmets is already in force in all the other cycling disciplines under the control of the UCI.

The new rule could be implemented in time for the start of the Giro d'Italia on May 10.