Category: Law 14 – Penalty Kick

Law 14 – Penalty Kick

"Inventive Instructors"

RESTARTS AFTER INFRINGEMENTS OF LAW 14

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Question:
We are having problems with instructor interpretations again and responses to referees in clinics. A thought-when the new laws/interpretations come out, could the federation send out “Official Interpretations” to the instructors/assessors to be used for the standardization of teaching throughout the country. I know these problems happen other areas besides ours.

Question:
Kick taken on a penalty kick and the offensive team encroaches. GK makes the save and controls the ball. What is proper re-start?

USSF answer (January 6, 2009):
We cannot see this item needs any special “official interpretation”; the answer is clearly spelled out in the Laws of the Game and officially interpreted in the Advice to Referees (14.9).  Any instructors who are providing interpretations other than this answer would not likely be helped by some new statement from USSF.

If the referee chooses to recognize that the infringement of Law 14 occurred, then the Law spells out the procedure completely:

a team-mate of the player taking the kick infringes the Laws of the Game:
• the referee allows the kick to be taken
• if the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken
• if the ball does not enter the goal, the referee stops play and the match is restarted with an indirect free kick to the defending team, from the place where the infringement occurred

However, if, in the opinion of the referee, the infringement was trifling, the referee may allow the goalkeeper to retain the ball and release it into play for everyone within the six-second period allowed after the goalkeeper has established possession.…

"Inventive" Refs

YOU MUST CALL FOULS THE SAME EVERYWHERE ON THE FIELD!!

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Question:
Do indirect free kicks in the penalty box still exist? So often penalties are awarded for fouls in the area that do not deny goal-scoring opportunities (players going away from goal etc), this leaves the ref in a catch 22 as if it is either/or as the punishment will not fit the crime. It seems that in taking subjective judgement away from the ref the laws tie the hands of the official, who sometimes even yellow-card an attacker for simulation when they were in truth fouled, but rather than give a soft pen the ref cards the striker for diving. Using the indirect free-kick in the box would empower refs to deal with the pushing etc from set-pieces, instead of forcing them to turn a blind eye on defensive cheating unless it is really flagrant and can justify a near-certain goal.

USSF answer (December 30, 2008):
Wherever did you get the idea that the award of a penalty kick is limited to situations in which an obvious goalscoring opportunity is involved?!?!?! That is completely wrong!

The Laws of the Game have not changed in this regard for over one hundred years. There is no such thing as a “soft penalty.” If a direct free kick foul, in other words a “penal” foul, is committed on the field, it should be treated exactly the same in the penalty area as it would be at midfield. There is no “either / or,” there is only the correct call.

You will find a similar question and answer on the website now, dated December 17. The answer states:

“We always encourage referees to use their discretion in making any call, based on the factors that went into making the decision in the first place. However, too many referees blur the lines between the various fouls, particularly the clear difference between playing dangerously and committing a direct-free-kick foul. In most cases this is done because the referee doesn’t want to appear too harsh or, much worse, because the referee is afraid to call a foul a foul. How many referees have you seen who say that the same foul they would have called a direct-free-kick foul at midfield is not a penalty-kick-foul when committed in the penalty area? They then chicken out and call it dangerous play, depriving the offended team of a fully justified penalty kick.

“You have to make the decision and stick with it. The offense in this case is not simply against the Laws of the Game, but against the whole tradition and spirit of the game.”

Why is it so difficult for referees to understand that a penalty kick does not have to be “earned”? it is sufficient that a penal foul is committed in the penalty area against the attacking team.…

Law 14 - Penalty Kick

FEINTING AT A PENALTY KICK

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Question:
This was forwarded to me, and if i understand the new interpretation, it might be legal – can’t say i like it, however.

==http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/sport/fussball/Darf-man-so-einen-Penalty-schiessen/story/14850459

Please evaluate and comment.

USSF answer (December 11, 2008):
An excerpt from Advice to Referees 14.9 is useful here:

Infringements after the referee’s signal but before the ball is in play may be committed by the kicker, the goalkeeper, or by any of their teammates.  Violations of Law 14 by the kicker in particular include back heeling the ball (14.12), running past the ball and then backing up to take the kick, excessively changing directions in the run to the ball or taking an excessively long run to the ball (which, in the opinion of the referee, results in an unnecessary delay in taking the kick), or making any motion of the hand or arm which (in the opinion of the referee) is clearly intended to confuse or misdirect the attention of the ‘keeper.  In almost all such cases, the referee should let the kick proceed and deal with the violation in accordance with the chart below [not included here], which outlines the proper restarts for clear infringements of Law 14.  However, in the case of a kicker creating an unnecessary delay in taking the kick, the referee should intervene, if possible, warn the kicker to proceed properly, and signal again for the restart.

In response to a question similar to yours, we provided this answer in 2001; it is fully in line with the latest guidance from the IFAB and FIFA:

USSF answer (April 25, 2001):
Feinting at a penalty kick, provided it is done without lapsing into unsporting behavior, is allowed. The judgment of unsporting behavior is at the discretion of the referee, who should remember that players are permitted to deceive their opponents at the taking of free kicks outside the penalty area using well rehearsed drills. The penalty kick should be treated in the same way. Remember that the penalty is awarded because of an offense by the defending team. One example of unsporting behavior would be to step over the ball, hesitate, and then bring the foot back again to kick the ball.

We might add to the earlier response that the kicker’s behavior must not, in the opinion of the referee, unduly delay the taking of the kick.

Any instance of unsporting behavior must be in the opinion of the referee, based on that particular act in that particular game at that particular moment of the game. Although there are certain actions that will always be unsporting behavior, we cannot arbitrarily set a list of actions that must be called as unsporting behavior in the case of feinting at a penalty kick. The referee has to take responsibility for some of his own decisions.

The officials on the game clearly believed the decision to be correct. In our opinion, the action of the kicker rides close to the edge but is legal. Apart from the fact that he did not do any of the things we list in the Advice as being examples of a kicker violation of Law 14 (see above) — there is no requirement that the kicker RUN to the ball at all. He could walk, trot, sprint, or even just stand behind the ball. So he ran to the ball and stopped. Suppose he had started walking toward the ball and then, from about 1-2 yards away, broke into a sprint before taking the kick. Would this have been illegal?

We invite our readers to go to the URL in question and decide for themselves the correct answer: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/sport/fussball/Darf-man-so-einen-Penalty-schiessen/story/14850459

NOTE: The German title asks the question, “May someone shoot a penalty kick this way?”…

Law 11 - Offside

OFFSIDE AT A PENALTY KICK?/DEFUSING SITUATIONS

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Question:
why can attacking players not be offside at a penalty kick.

also……………..

what skills and areas of communication you would you use during a cautioning and a sending off procedure in order to defuse the situation

USSF answer (October 15, 2008):
1. You are a referee and don’t know why players cannot be offside at a penalty kick? Hmmm.

The reason they cannot be offside at a PK is that they have committed an infringement of Law 14 (Penalty Kick), which requires:
The players other than the kicker must be located:
• inside the field of play
• outside the penalty area
• behind the penalty mark
• at least 9.15 m (10 yds) from the penalty mark

The referee must not signal for the PK if any player (both teams) is between the ball and the goal line. Law 14 requires that these locations be in place before the signal.  If any attacker rushes past the ball after the signal but before the ball is in play, this is treated as a violation of Law 14, not Law 11.

2. Defusing a situation during cautioning or sending-off procedure
Stick strictly to the instructions given you by the Laws of the Game, remain mentally alert and always maintain a calm and collect professional manner. Move players aside who would enter into any “discussion” with you, leaving the field if necessary to avoid them. Remain mentally alert, calm, collected, and professional. Get the facts, tell the player why he or she is being cautioned or sent off, show the card, move away and get on with the game. Remain mentally alert, calm, collected, and professional. (We cannot repeat this enough.) And never sacrifice your body.…

Law 14 - Penalty Kick

LAW 2 (THE BALL)

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Question:
My question has to do with the use of an undersized ball for the taking of a penalty kick. In a BU-13 match (which matches under our league rules require the use of a Size 5 ball), a PK was awarded in the final two minutes of play. The center referee did not inspect the ball and grabbed a Size 4 ball for the PK.  (The use of the other team’s Size 4 ball for the PK marked the second time that undersized ball was in play). As the ball was set, the coaches for the defending team immediately complained about the ball size prior to the PK being taken. The sideline AR noticed this and raised his flag. The center referee ignored the protest and let the kick occur. The kick was partially blocked by the keeper but rolled in the goal off the keepers hands. After the PK conversion and before play resumed, the sideline AR had the center ref inspect the ball, and they confirmed the use of the Size 4 ball for the successful PK. But the center referee refused to have the PK redone at the request of the defending team’s coach, and instead simply removed the ball again from play. The game ended in a 1-0 result. After the match the center referee told the defending team’s coaches that he did not inspect the ball and that he was responsible to do so. But when requested by the defending team’s coaches to note in writing on the match report that an improper Size 4 ball was used for the converted PK, the center referee refused to, noting only in writing that “a Size 4 Ball was used during the match” (at the suggestion of the other sideline AR than the one who had seen the error and raised his flag.) Were the center referee’s actions proper?

USSF answer (October 15, 2008):
Law 5 tells us that the referee “ensures that any ball used meets the requirements of Law 2.” By implication, that means that the balls used in any game must meet the requirements set down by the competition authority. In the case of your scenario, the referee did not follow the Law: He did not properly inspect the ball and thus did not follow the specific requirement of Law 5 that the ball had to meet the standards.

Therefore, the use of an illegal ball (in accordance with the rules of competition) which resulted in a goal (regardless of whether this was during play, during a penalty kick, or during kicks from the penalty mark) requires that the goal be canceled if the problem is discovered prior to the restart. This must be included in the match report if not discovered until after the restart.…

Kicks from the Mark

FEINTING AT A PENALTY KICK

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Question:
This is a question regarding Law 14. While I know the kicker can stutter step or even change direction as they approach the ball, I believe that the kicker cannot come to a complete stop and then proceed to continue to approach the ball for the kick. Is this correct or have I misinterpreted something?

USSF answer (September 28, 2008):
According to the Interpretations of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees in the back of the 2008/2009 Laws of the Game:

LAW 14- THE PENALTY KICK
Procedure
Feinting to take a penalty kick to confuse opponents is permitted as part of football. However, if, in the opinion of the referee, the feinting is considered an act of unsporting behavior, the player must be cautioned.

Feinting at a penalty kick is allowed, including a brief stop along the way to the ball.

The issue of “feinting” underwent a significant change in 2000. Prior to that time, the kicker was expected to make one continuous, uninterrupted move to the ball; in and after 2000 (based on the FIFA Q&A), certain forms of deception were allowed.

FIFA clarified in 2002 that the kicker may seek to misdirect (or feint) at the taking of a penalty kick. USSF, in a memo of October 14, 2004 on this subject, identified four specific actions by the kicker that could constitute misconduct:

– he delays unnecessarily after being signaled by the referee to proceed,
– he runs past the ball and then backs up to take the kick,
– he excessively changes direction during the run to the ball, or
– he makes any motion of the hand or arm which is clearly intended to misdirect the attention of the goalkeeper.
In such cases, the referee should suspend the procedure, caution the player involved, and then signal once again for the kick to be taken. If the kick has already been taken, the referee should order it retaken only if the ball enters the goal. The player must still be cautioned for his misconduct regardless of the outcome. If the kick is not to be retaken (see above), the game is restarted with an indirect free kick for the defending team where Law 14 was violated.
As to the goalkeeper leaving the line early, all referees are expected to order a retake of a penalty kick or a kick from the penalty mark if the ‘keeper’s movement off the line has interfered with the kicker’s ability to score the goal.

Referees should watch for the sorts of feinting described in the position paper of October 14, 2004, but should not consider all deceptive maneuvers to be a violation of Law 14 or of the guidelines on kicks from the penalty mark in the section of the Laws pertaining to “Procedures to Determine the Winner of a Match or Home-and-Away.” They should ensure that the run to the ball is initiated from behind the ball and the kicker is not using deception to delay unnecessarily the taking of the kick.  The kicker’s behavior must not, in the opinion of the referee, unduly delay the taking of the kick in any feinting tactic. Others would include changing direction or running such an an excessive distance such that, in the opinion of the referee, the restart was delayed; or making hand or arm gestures with the intent to deceive the kicker (e .g., pointing in a direction).

The referee should allow the kick to proceed. If the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken.  If the ball does not enter the goal, the referee stops play and restarts the match with an indirect free kick to the defending team.

To this we can add only that more and more liberal interpretation is taking place throughout the world. The kicker is permitted to approach slowly, stop, take few quick steps, and shoot.…

Law 14 - Penalty Kick

COMMUNICATE!!! WITH YOUR ASSISTANT REFEREES

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Question:
Near the end of the first half, an attacker with the ball is clearly tackled from behind in the penalty area. However the referee is screened at that moment and thinks the attacker merely tripped, so there is no whistle. The AR, who has a good view of the play, pops his flag, but the ball is immediately booted upfield and the CR turns to follow the play and never sees the flag, which continues to be raised.

Seconds later, the CR blows the whistle for half-time. At that point he sees the AR with flag raised and consults with him. He accepts the AR’s view that there was a trip but says that because the whistle has been blown to end the half, there can be no penalty kick.

He does card the defender who tackled from behind however.

Is this ruling correct?

(Note: it might have helped if the second AR had mirrored the flag but unfortunately that did not happen.)

USSF answer (September 2, 2008):
Whenever the assistant referee signals for a foul and the signal is not seen immediately and play continues for several seconds, the restart, when taken, must be in accordance with the Laws (free kick, penalty kick, etc.). In this situation play had not stopped and been restarted since the flag was raised, so, when the referee acknowledges the flag and accepts the assistant referee’s information, the correct thing to do is to send off or caution (as appropriate to the act) the player involved and restart with the penalty kick.

In addition, the assistant referee should maintain a signal if a serious foul or misconduct is committed out of the referee’s sight or when a goal has been scored illegally. This and the original situation (above) should be covered by the referee during the pregame conference with the assistant referees.…

Law 14 - Penalty Kick

INFRINGING PROCEDURES FOR PENALTY KICK

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Question:
On a penalty kick; the shooter is ready to take the kick, just as he is about to kick it his teamate commits a foul by running into the penalty area before the shooter makes contact with the ball… He shoots the ball, it goes in the goal but the point is not rewarded because of the foul commited by the teamate. Is appropriate restart of play a Indirect free kick from where the foul was commited, a goal kick or do they just retake the kick???

USSF answer (September 2, 2008):
What you describe as a “foul” is not a foul; it is a violation of the procedures for the taking of a penalty kick. In this particular case, Law 14 (The Penalty Kick) tells us that if a team-mate of the player taking the kick infringes the Laws of the Game:
• the referee allows the kick to be taken
• if the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken
• if the ball does not enter the goal, the referee stops play and the match is restarted with an indirect free kick to the defending team, from the place where the infringement occurred.…

"Inventive" Refs

YES, ANY PLAYER MAY TAKE A PENALTY KICK!

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Question:
Understand that substitution can take place during any stoppage.

I would like to check can the substitute which just come in, can he takes the penalty kick, corner kick, or throw in?

i saw my fellow referee did not allow the substitute player who just come into the field of play to take the penalty kick and sometimes do not allow the substitute player who just come into the field of play to take the throw in and corner kick.

please advise and clear my doubts.

USSF answer (August 14, 2008):
There is no reason that the new player cannot take the penalty kick or other restart as soon as he or she has entered the field in compliance with the requirements of Law 3.

Note:
The questioner and his colleague are not from the United States and thus are not confused by the high school rule that does not allow a newly-subbed in player to take a penalty kick. The high school rules do not place any other restrictions on newly-subbed in players taking other restarts.…

Kicks from the Mark

WHEN IS A PENALTY KICK (OR KICK FROM THE MARK) COMPLETED?

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Question:
The final match of an international Girls U17 tournament ends in a 0-0 tie and goes to a shootout to determine the winner. The tournament is governed by U.E.F.A. rules.

One of the kicks taken hits the post and rebounding forward, hits the keeper a foot in front of the goal line and is deflected back into the net.

The referee ruled that once the ball had started moving forward off the post the play was dead and a goal could not be scored.

I believe the rules state that a referee is the final judge of when a play is ended, but I also believe he is supposed to let play continue until it finishes of its own accord. I’m not certain if the rules of play governing a shootout differ from a regular penalty kick.

Did the referee make the correct call? Should the deflection (and resulting goal) have been allowed? My daughter’s team was declared the winner of the game, but we’re curious whether it was handled properly.

USSF answer (July 28, 2008):
UEFA rules? Most likely you mean what we normally call “FIFA rules,” known to the rest of the world as “The Laws of the Game.”

Under the Laws of the Game a penalty kick — including a kick from the penalty mark to determine a winner — is completed only when the referee declares it so, and the referee should not declare the kick to be completed if there is any possibility that the ball is still in play. In other words: So long as the ball is in motion and contacting any combination of the ground, crossbar, goalposts, and goalkeeper, a goal can still be scored.…