Law 14 - The Penalty Kick

KICKING BEFORE THE REFEREE'S WHISTLE

Question:
This situation happened in a U16 girls semi final match. The offensive player was fouled in the penalty area and a penalty kick was awarded. The teams lined up for the kick. The player taking the kick then took the kick before the referee blew his whistle. The keeper saved the shot. Then the referee decided that since he did not blow his whistle the kick should be retaken. The same kicker then again took the kick before the referee blew his whistle and missed the shot wide. The kicker was then given a yellow card. The referee then allowed the team to retake the kick again. The team switched kickers, waited for the whistle and scored on the third attempt. The game ended 1 to 0.

Should this team been allowed to continue to infringe on the rules and still be allowed to take the kick over and over?

Also should the team have been allowed to switch kickers?

Answer (June 12, 2008):
In most cases, infringements of Law 14 occur only between the referee's signal for the restart and the ball being kicked and put into play properly. Violations of the Law prior to the referee's signal are handled the same as any other misconduct occurring while the ball is not in play.

The referee dealt correctly with the player who kicked the ball twice before the referee had blown the whistle: first a warning, then a caution, each followed by a retake of the penalty kick.

The team is allowed to change kickers if the kick is being retaken.

TEAMMATE OF KICKER ENTERS PENALTY AREA AND SHOOTS

Question:
On a penalty kick; the shooter is ready to take the kick, just as he is about to kick it his teammate 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 committed by the teammate. Is appropriate restart of play a Indirect free kick from where the foul was committed, a goal kick or do they just retake the kick???

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

OFFSIDE AT A PENALTY KICK?

Question:
Why can attacking players not be offside at a penalty kick?

Answer (October 15, 2008):
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.

TRIFLING INFRACTIONS AT A PK (AND ELSEWHERE)?

Question:
I'd like some guidance on what fouls or infractions should be considered trifling.

For example, in your July 9, 2009 question on the AR signal for a PK, you said how the AR was to determine and signal "if the goalkeeper has moved illegally AND IT MADE A DIFFERENCE." (your ALL-CAPS). Does "MADE A DIFFERENCE" mean, for example, that if the keeper leaves the line early, but the shot misses the goal (no keeper save), that leaving early made no difference in helping a save, so no foul? Or did it mean that if a goal was scored anyway, leaving early "MADE no DIFFERENCE", so no need to signal?

It seems that the first option makes sense as being trifling leaving early had no impact upon play since the shot missed the goal.

But the LOTG and ATR seem clear that it does not matter if the shot is saved or misses when calling this.

Similarly with trifling - players that enter the penalty area on a PK slightly before the kick seem to have "no significant impact upon play" [ATR 5.5] in almost all cases. Yet much of Law 14 addresses this infraction. If the ball enters the goal on a PK, how could an attacker's pre-kick entry into the penalty area not be considered trifling?

There seems to be consensus that things like 6-second rule violations, and keeper handling slightly outside the area when punting are trifling offenses. Right? But why are foul throw-ins not almost always trifling?

Answer (November 11, 2009):
1. Goalkeeper leaving the line early:
The original meaning was that the goalkeeper's leaving the line early may be disregarded if the ball enters the goal. If the kick missed, then it COULD have made a difference and the kicking team gets another "shot" at it. The final decision here is made by the referee on the game, not those of us who are watching (and adding up the "mistakes" by the referee).

2. Trifling infringements
For those who have not yet downloaded this year's edition of the Advice to Referees, here is the text referred to in the question, Advice 5.5:
QUOTE
5.5 TRIFLING INFRACTIONS
"The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of referees to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law. Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feeling and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators."

This former International F.A. Board Decision (previously included in Law 5 as Decision 8) was removed from the Law only because it was felt to be an unnecessary reminder of the referee's fundamental duty to penalize only those violations that matter. The spirit, if not the words, of this Decision remains at the heart of the Law. It is applicable to all possible violations of any of the Laws of the Game.

A trifling infraction is one which, though still an offense, has no significant impact upon play. A doubtful offense is one which neither the referee nor the other officials can attest to. Under no circumstances should the advantage clause be invoked for such "offenses." The referee's decision as to whether a player's action is trifling or not is affected considerably by the skill level of the players. However, the referee should remember to consider trifling offenses in determining persistent infringement of the Laws. Further, the referee may wish to talk to or warn a player regarding infringements which, though considered trifling, may nonetheless lead to frustration and retaliation if they continue.
END OF QUOTE

With regard to entering the penalty area early, we can say that if it had no effect on play, then it need not be punished, as this would disrupt the flow of the game unnecessarily.

However, if, in the opinion of the referee, a kicking team player's early entry into the penalty area had some effect on the play, it would not be trifling and would have to be punished in accordance with the Law.

Infringement of the six-second rule is sometimes misinterpreted. The count starts when the goalkeeper is preparing to release the ball, not when he or she actually gains possession. Why? Because very often the goalkeeper has to disentangle him-/herself from other players or move around fallen players, and it would be unfair to begin the count in such a case.

The goalkeeper's handling of the ball "outside" the penalty area by crossing the line when punting the ball is clearly trifling, particularly if it occurs only once in a game and is only VERY slightly beyond the line. The referee should first have a word with the goalkeeper, warning him or her to watch the line in the future or risk consequences. No referee should rush into danger of losing control by punishing any trifling matters.

Foul throw-ins are generally trifling. What should be our primary concern is having the throw-in taken from the proper place, within one yard/meter of the point where the ball left the field. A throw-in is simply a way of putting the ball back into play quickly and efficiently.

Finally, please remember that such matters should be covered in the pregame conference between the referee and the other assigned officials.

FEINTING AT PENALTY KICKS

Question:
I am reading many of your archives with much delight; I came across one in particular (Infringement by Kicker at Penalty Kick - Feb. 2010). You indicated that feinting of penalty kicks was going to be a topic of discussion at the IFAB meeting in March, 2010. I am curious, was there any further clarification or changes that came out of this meeting?

Answer (June 10, 2010):
Yes, there was further clarification, with good news for referees and bad news for crafty players. Here's a quote from the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees (in the back of the Law book):
LAW 14- THE PENALTY KICK
Procedure
Feinting at the run-up to take a penalty kick to confuse opponents is permitted as part of football. However, feinting to kick the ball once the player has completed his run-up is considered an infringement of Law 14 and an act of unsporting behavior for which the player must be cautioned.

And see this text in the Memorandum on Law Changes 2010 published by USSF
: USSF Advice to Referees: Players may feint during the run to the ball (so long as this does not involve, in the opinion of the referee, excessive changes in direction or similar delays in the taking of the kick) but feinting actions once the run to the ball is complete are now to be considered a violation of Law 14 by the kicker. This would include clearly stopping and waiting for a reaction by the goalkeeper before taking the kick or any similar clear hesitation after the run to the ball is complete and before kicking the ball into play. In other words, once the kicker has reached the ball, the kick must be taken without hesitation or delay. In most cases, the referee should allow the kick to proceed and then decide on the appropriate action to take based on the outcome of the kick: if the ball went into the net, the goal is canceled and the kick retaken; if the ball did not go into the net, an indirect free kick is given to the opposing team where the violation occurred. In either case, before play is restarted, the kicker must be cautioned for unsporting behavior.