Question Number: 14339

Kicks From The Penalty mark 11/1/2006

RE: Competetive Under 16

Brittany of Hanford, ca kings asks...

In shoot outs after the game there was a player who was up to kick. After the Referee blew the whistle the player began his run, stopped, then finished his run and kicked. The referee said that he was not allowed to stop even though he didn't touch the ball, the goal didnt count and he did not get a redo. Was this the right call?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The Laws of the Game tell us that the taker of a penalty kick or kick from the penalty mark may feint on the kick.If this referee felt the stopping went beyond feinting, then the goal would not be allowed.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Brittany,
it is permitted to feint on a pk . There is some degree of confusion as to when the feinting movements transgress or change into usb or unacceptable trickery to draw encroachment or early movement by the keeper. A start then stutter step is ok just no dead stops and back ups as in false starts or going past the ball and backing up. If the referee sees it as a problem then for that match that is what it is. A match condition that a player must adapt to! A referee's call is right even if we see it as wrong or even if the referee later changes his opinion to coincide with ours. Experiance to recognize what is fair or foul is not always as clear cut as we might wish.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

One of our long time readers catches this in out answer:

If the ref felt the action was beyond simple feinting and was illegal, shouldn't the proper response be another kick?

Thanks Gary Voshal, spot on. The only time you retake is when a goal is scored.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 14387