Question:
Hello! I am trying to find an official document that describes the procedure the Match Officials must follow during the period between the end of the Overtime Period and before the beginning of the Kicks From The Penalty Mark phase. I read all the published docs on your web site, including the Guide To Procedures, the Advice to Referees, LOTG, Guide to Fourth Officials, as well as various Memoranda, but couldn’t find anything. Is it defined by the Rules of Competition?So far I have gotten two flavors from different “trustable” sources by word of mouth, but no one has been able to document their source:
Flavor #1: a) Immediately after the OT ends, all the players on the field must remain in the Center Circle; b) the coaches come onto the field to conference w/ the players and to bring them water, and then go back to their Technical Area; c) Regardless of what Goal the Referee chooses, the JAR always remains on the Center Circle, while the SAR is always the Line Judge.
Flavor #2: a) Immediately after the OT ends, all the players must remain on the field, but may approach their Technical Area to get water and receive instructions from their Coaches, who cannot enter the field, nor can the subs; b) when summoned by the Referee or the AR, the players must go into the Center Circle and remain apart from each other; c) the Line Judge will be determined based on what Goal the Referee decides to use (i.e. if it is the Goal closest to the JAR, then he/she becomes the Line Judge, etc.).
Also, some colleagues say to allow 2 minutes, while others say 3 or even 5 minutes before starting the KFM phase. Please respond ASAP.
USSF answer (May 22, 2007):
There is no standard procedure for conducting kicks from the penalty mark. Referees use common sense in preparing for this contingency. The amount of time between the end of regular play and the beginning of the kicks is set by the competition authority. The jobs of the assistant referees are determined by the referee. Players must remain on the field of play.
As a practical matter, one could also say that how the kicks from the penalty mark are run is a function of the level of the particular competition.
