Law 14 - Penalty Kick

LAX ENFORCEMENT OF GOALKEEPER MOVEMENT AT PENALTY KICK

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Question:
I know this has been asked before, but having just watched Japan and Parguay go to PKs to determine a winner I need some input.

On almost every kick the keeper from Japan came off the line prior to the ball being kicked which is against the rules. The keeper can move side to side, but can not move forward until the ball has been struck.

With one ref and two linesmen positioned specifically to observe the action I don’t see how this could be missed. Is it just ignored at this level of play? Perhaps the most well documented example of this was Brianna Scurry coming off the line way early against China to make a dramatic save. I believe Scurry later acknowledge bending the rules to the press after the match.

Given the game deciding weight these plays carry, why is this common rule violation tolerated? It seems crazy to play 90 minutes, plus 30 minutes to let it all rest on these kicks when rules are ignored. It brings in to question the intergrity of the game.

If we had all week I move on from this topic to the blatant diving, shin clutching and face holding that seems to accompany any hard contact these days. Here is how it works: Get hit, go down hard, fake a mortal injury, get on the stretcher and then get right up and jog around once they are brought off the field. Really classy.

USSF answer (July 2, 2010):
Yes, the ‘keeper is required to remain on the line until the ball has been kicked. If he (or she) moves forward before the ball is kicked and moved forward (and thus in play), the kick should be retaken. However, if the kicker scores anyway, then the referee disregards the infringement — but should warn the goalkeeper against further violations.

As to why the officials do not act on these infringements and the others you suggest, we cannot comment and must leave the solution to the officials and their assessors.…

Law 11 - Offside

DEFENDER LEAVES FIELD WITHOUT PERMISSION; OFFSIDE?

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Question:
If the second to last defender’s momentum pushes him or her out of bounds while playing a ball, do you just presume that he or she is out of the play and you just line up with the new second to last defender (for offside) or what do you do?

USSF answer (July 2, 2010):
Any defender who leaves the field over the goal line without the permission of the referee, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, is still counted for offside purposes.

You will find this paragraph in the back of the Law book, under Law 11 in the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees:

Any defending player leaving the field of play for any reason without the referee’s permission shall be considered to be on his own goal line or touch line for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play. If the player leaves the field of play deliberately, he must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play.

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Law 11 - Offside

WHAT BODY PARTS COUNT FOR OFFSIDE?

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Question:
As as assistant referee focusing on an offside situation I am mostly looking for the scoring part of the player in determining offside most time the head is the farthest point ahead. With that in mind as I am looking at players lined up along the center half I am looking for the same thing. So if a head is over the line and the feet may not be is this technically an offsides call? Many people seem to think that where feet are is an issue but referees aren’t typically looking at feet for offsides calls.

USSF answer (July 2, 2010):
Your first sentence has it all: When judging the offside position, we look solely at the body parts that can score a goal in a legal play on the ball: the head and the feet, but NOT the hands.

There is, of course, no offense called “offsides.”…

Uncategorized

MISSED CALLS AND REPLAY DEVICES

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Question:
During this 2010 World Cup we’ve seen a plethora of missed calls.

1) For games at this top tier of play, will referees review close calls during their halftime break, or after the game?

2) And what are the referees opinions about the use of instant replays. I know FIFA officials are opposed, but would the men on the field appreciate having a second look at game changing decisions?

USSF answer (July 2, 2010):
Soccer is a fast-moving game played and officiated by human beings. Human beings make mistakes and players make many more mistakes than the referees, but everyone seems to accept that.

1) No, the referees do not review close calls via video or otherwise during the halftime break. They may discuss them; however, as there is no possibility of reversing the decision once the game has been stopped and restarted, the discussion is purely academic. Referees at the top levels, not only those at the World Cup, review their games and do a self-assessment of their work.

2) Numerous systems of game review during the game have been tested around the world, but none has been seen to be worthy of use in actual play. However, although instant replays are not currently being considered, FIFA may reconsider the possible use of goal line technology (according to a recent comment by its president).

NOTE: We apologize to the person who asked this question His/her e-mail address has disappeared.…

"Inventive Coaches"

RETAKES OF PENALTY KICKS

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Question:
We were in a PK situation to decide a match. One of the kickers placed the ball correctly then kicked it prior to the referee’s whistle. The referee warned the kicker to wait for his signal and allowed another attempt. The kicker replaced the ball correctly and proceeded to kick the ball again prior to his whistle.

Once again the warning and a third kick was allowed which eventually decided the game. Is this the correct ruling? I can see possibly allowing one restart but when the player repeats the offending action shouldn’t the kick be nullified?

USSF answer (July 2, 2010):
The referee has no choice but to allow the kicker to continue taking the kick. See below, taken from the Laws of the Game 2010/2011, Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees:

LAW 14- THE PENALTY KICK
//deleted//
Preparing for the penalty kick
The referee must confirm the following requirements before the penalty
kick is taken:
* The kicker is identified
* The ball is properly placed on the penalty mark
* The goalkeeper is on the goal line between the goal posts and facing the kicker
* The team-mates of the kicker and the goalkeeper are
– outside the penalty area
– outside the penalty arc
– behind the ball

Infringements – After the whistle and before ball in play
Outcome of the kick
Infringement
for encroachment Goal No Goal
Attacking Player Penalty is retaken Indirect free kick
Defending Player Goal Penalty is retaken
Both Penalty is retaken Penalty is retaken

However, if the kicker repeats this after being warned, the referee has the option of cautioning ( yellow card) and, upon further repetition of the act, of sending the player off and showing the red card. Even though the kicker may be warned, cautioned or sent off for repeating his offending action, the penalty kick will still be retaken (by any player on the kicking team).…

Law 18 - Common Sense

TOWER OF BABEL, SOCCER STYLE

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Question:
I have a NON-controversial World Cup Referee question! My mom asks me this every World Cup. You have a team from Asia playing a team from Africa with a ref from South America. When the ref calls players over to talk / scold, how do they communicate?

USSF answer (June 28, 2010):
Thank goodness for non-controversial questions!

English is generally recognized as the most-used language in the world for transactions between non-native English speakers who do not speak the other person’s language. All FIFA referees are required to be proficient in English. Of course, that does not apply to players, so the conversations are likely conducted with sign language (as we have seen) or in “Globish,” some variation of English that is generally understandable by both sides. …

"Inventive Coaches"

TEAM INTENTIONALLY LOSES TO ADVANCE OPPONENT

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Question:
A hypothetical question arose at our USYSA State Cup this weekend. Suppose two teams from the same club have advanced through their brackets to the state championship game, and are scheduled to play each other in the final. One team (the ‘A’ team from the club) has already qualified for Regionals via a regional league play-in, but the other team (the ‘B’ team) has not. If the club’s coaches want the ‘B’ team to advance to Regionals as well, is instructing the ‘A’ team to allow the other team to score on them for an easy win something the referee has the authority to act upon (presumably, by warning and/or dismissing the coach(es) of the ‘A’ team for bringing the game into disrepute)? Your answer of September 7, 2006 indicates that deliberately kicking the ball into one’s own goal is an example of bringing the game into disrepute (for which a player should be cautioned), yet your answer of October 2, 2008 makes reference to the rules of competition (as far as tournament standings and advancement) not being the referee’s problem.

Obviously, the club could just “forfeit” their better team by not showing up, thereby advancing the lesser team. But if the coaching staff decides to play the match as a farce, is it the referee’s issue to deal with? Or the competition authority?

As always, your guidance and direction is greatly appreciated!

USSF answer (June 21, 2010):
You would seem to have missed an answer from 2002 that states exactly what was in the IFAB Q&A of 1996 and 2000, as well as 2004, 2005, and 2006. Although it is no longer included in the Laws of the Game, the following answer from the IFAB Q&A 2006 remains valid:

Law 5:
13. How should a referee react if, during the course of a match, he realizes that one of the teams is deliberately trying to lose? Should he draw the attention of the team in question to the fact that if they continue to play in that way, he will terminate the game in accordance with the provisions of Law 5?

The referee has no right to stop the match in this case.

That, of course, does not prevent the referee from including in the game report any information he (or she) hears or learns of before, during, or after the game that substantiates collusion to “fix” a game.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

NO GOAL FOR THE UNITED STATES

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Question:
In the on-line comments that I read concerning the controversial call that denied the United States a third goal in the US — Slovenia World Cup game, I found the following statement:

“You have another ref in the press box watching the replay and he relays the correct call to the main ref via microphone. Side line refs are told not to call anything on close plays like this and if it is offsides the goal is taken away quickly after the upstairs ref reviews the replay. This could have taken seconds.”

Is this statement, or any part of it, accurate? It seems contrary to everything I have understood concerning who has the power to make decisions about play and under what circumstances.

USSF answer (June 18, 2010):
The ways of referees are mysterious. There was no flag from the lead AR to indicate a foul or any other infringement. Yes, there was a fifth official assigned to the game, but he was sitting on the bench behind the fourth official and could not have seen the action in the Slovenian penalty area any better than the fourth official and did not communicate anything to the referee.

While some national associations have conducted tests with the sort of system you describe, this system is not being used in this World Cup. The person who posted the comment you cited is ill-informed.…

Disciplinary Matters

PLAYER SENT OFF IN ABANDONED MATCH MAY NOT PLAY IN REPLAY

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Question:
What is the right way to continue a game after it was suspended by the referee at minute 22 of the first half? one team was playing with 9 players due to none sufficient players and to one player with red card at minute 15 of play. can the the team complete up to ten players and can the team have subtitute players on the benches if they didn’t have enough players in the first game?

USSF answer (June 17, 2010):
“Suspended” simply means stopped temporarily. If the referee then “terminated” or “abandoned” the game, the following might apply, but it would be up to the rules of the particular competition.

An official USSF question and answer of August 16, 1999, forbids a player sent off in a game that MUST BE REPLAYED to participate in the replay. That ruling is still valid.

“PLAYER SENT OFF IN ABANDONED GAME THAT MUST BE REPLAYED IN FULL

“Q. A game has been abandoned because of severe weather conditions. During the game, a player was sent off and received a red card for serious foul play. The rules of the competition specify that the game must be replayed in full on the following day. In other words, it is not to be a continuation of the abandoned game. May the player who was sent off participate in this game? How many players may his team use?

“A. Because the game will be replayed in full at a later date, both teams may start with the maximum allowable number of players, plus the number of substitutes prescribed by the rules of the competition. The player who was sent off in the abandoned game may not participate in the game, nor may he be included in the roster of players and nominated substitutes for the game.”…

"Inventive Assessors"

INDOOR RULE ON COACHES STANDING IN BENCH AREA

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Question:
In an NPSL match, as the match went on and became more contentious, the assistant coach as well as several substitutes began standing in the technical area, occasionally making dissenting remarks.

One comment by an assessor was to allow only one team official to stand at a time.

Is there any USSF requirement that players or coaches remain seated?

As a fourth official, can I demand that the players or coaches remain seated?

USSF answer (June 17, 2010)
The competition rules of NPSL do nor require team officials to stand one at a time, nor that they remain seated. The same applies to the published USSF indoor rules, probably because most facilities don’t always even have seats in the benches.

However, if the teams were playing outdoor soccer, the Law does require that only one team official at a time be standing in the technical area.…