Question Number: 12865

Law 14 - Penalty kick 5/21/2006

RE: Recreation/Competitive Adult

Jeff Pivnick of Calgary, Alberta, Canada asks...

I enjoy your web site and have found the collective interpretations provided helpful in making referee decisions during games.
I'd appreciate your input regarding the instructions for The Penalty kick (Law 14) as dealt with in the 2005 Laws of the Game.
In the "Questions and Answers" section, Law 14 - The Penalty Kick, question 8, we are instructed to award an IFK to "the defending team at the penalty mark" when a ball is heeled back to a team-mate who scores a goal.
There seem to be several interpretations of this situation, none leading to the indicated course of action:
a) if the ball is "heeled back" it is not put into play, so the PK should be retaken, or (more properly in my mind, since this was a deliberate infringement)
b) when the ball is played as indicated it should be treated as other similar deliberate infringements (in Law 14) whereby the restart is by IFK if a goal is not scored and a retake of the PK if a goal is scored.
A third interpretation would be
c) the kicker put him/herself offside in taking a PK in this manner, resulting in an immediate IFK from the penalty mark. Only problem with this third interpretation is that the "ball must be kicked and move forward" for the ball to be in play on a PK.
Thanks for your input.
Jeff

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This what the Q&A says so we abide by it. I agree, in my mind, the ball was never put into play so there should be a retake. Since Q&A does not indicate a caution is to be given, it's not misconduct. This may be one of the thinkgs that changes over time. I want to emphasize that we HAVE to award an IFK as that's what IFAB tells us to do. This is a bizarre occurance as since the ball is never in play, one would think it HAS to be a retake as in every other instance

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I also agree that in this case, a retake is in order. If the ball does not move forward, then it is not in play. It is similar to a goal kick not leaving penalty area. Then the restart is another goal kick. As Always,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jeff,

I read this backheel thing and went WTH?(what the heck?)
At first I though this backheel was where the PK kicker is not facing the keeper
ie bum towards the goal facing centre and he tries to hit the ball with his heel as a teammate runs in on it as a deception.

I could not fathom how the ball could roll forward to be in play if the ball is backheeled, but then I considered although we allow a PK to be feinted the foot is not allowed to go past the ball so if it was backheeled the leg swing takes it over the ball and that is an infringement by the pk kicker

If the referee gives the signal for a penalty kick to be taken
and, ---BEFORE--- the ball is in play, one of the following situations occurs:
The player taking the penalty kick infringes the Laws of the Game:
the referee allows the kick to proceed.
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

As it stands right now in my opinion it appears FIFA wants an INDFK from the PK spot

In my personal opinion the portion of law which reads the ball must travel forward to be in play is in DIRECT opposition to this incident which should be a retake after cautioning the pK kicker. Oh well I feel certain someone will get around to setting this wonky critter back into the realm of normalcy when whoever thought to place this in the Q&A is no longer too crooked from the sun! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I dislike being the only panelist that understands what The International FA Board meant when they changed Law 14. A number of changes came into effect 1 July 2005 and the one we are concerned with in this case is whenever the attackers circumvent Law 14 the restart of play is, if they score a re-kick and if not an indirect free kick.

Law 14 (in Part)

If the referee gives the signal for a penalty kick to be taken and, before the ball is in play, one of the following situations occurs:

The player taking the penalty kick infringes the Laws of the Game:
the referee allows 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.

Q&A 2005, Law 14 #

8. A player taking a penalty kick back heels the ball to a team-mate who kicks the ball into the goal. What action does the referee take?

The referee stops play and restarts the match with an indirect free kick to the defending team at the penalty mark.

We all know that Law 14 requires the ball is in play when it is kicked and moved forward. Is it not an infringement of the Law to try putting it in play any other way? FIFA just explains where the kick is taken when this happens. Why can?t we just enforce the Law instead of wondering why. It is the same thing as making the rash statement ?The sky is blue?. Someone will turn up to argue the statement. Me, I believe it? I also believe a light will come on someplace and someone in a position to change things will think about what is written...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

Ref Fleischer hits this one on the mark. The taking of a PK is a very straightforward event that has been twisted every way but straight. Bottom line, if you don't put the ball into play properly, a very simple task I might add, because you tried to circumvent the law as specified in this question then you suffer the consequences - specifically, you lose the opportunity of the PK. Why any team would try this ridiculous "tactic" is beyond me but that's a different issue. All the best,