Question Number: 16298

Law 14 - Penalty kick 8/13/2007

RE: rec Under 13

lilly of orlando, florida america asks...

a penalty kick is awarded but the penalty mark is covered by a puddle of water what should i do where should the kick be taken

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

According to FIFA, the ball must be placed on the penalty mark, whether or not it is a foot under water. Hey, I didn't make the decision - I'm just reporting it. Is that what the practical referee will do? Only the teams on the field will know! Of course, if it is impossible to take the penalty kick, the only other option is to abandon the game.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Exactly Ref Maloney. However practicalities aside and if one thinks too much the following will, sooner or later, arise:

Given the number of artificial grass parks cropping up sooner or later there's going to be a penalty awarded on a windy day. This added to a "shorter" length artificial surface is going to make is so the ball will not stay in the penalty mark. Now what? Where does that leave the "practical referee"? How does he keep the ball from being blown away, a cup of sand like rugby players use? An old sock? A finger on the ball?

Ah, the wanderings of an idle mind...

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

On a windy day, finger on the ball as it's not in play and there can be no handling violation until the ball is kicked and moved forward at which point the finger would be off the ball. Oh, wait. That wasn't the question. FIFA and USSF say the ball MUST be placed on the penalty mark. Personally, since I couldn't see the penalty mark I'd find another mark close to it that wasn't in water. It's the wrong thing to do and I'd probably fail an assessment if caught, but in fairness to the participants I don't think I can justify abandoning the game unless all the areas close to the penalty mark were also under water.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

"Penalty marks? We don't need no stinkin penalty marks."

Seriously, most of the youth fields around my area don't have penalty marks painted. The groundskeepers say it's because that gives players a "target" to shoot from in warmups, and causes excessive wear on the grass there.

So if there's no mark, the ref decides where the mark should be. Some guys march off 12 yards from the goal line. I simply eyeball a spot midway between the goal area and penalty area lines.

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

See Question: 16336