Question Number: 19116

Law 14 - Penalty kick 5/17/2008

Avery Haskell of Overland Park, KS USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19073

What does happen when a ball will not stay on the pk mark?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The game must be abandoned.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Avery, The penalty mark is quite a large circle, nine inches in diameter. That should be plenty of "playable area" to work with. The referee must find a solution for the ball to stay in that area. We can go on endlessly with what if but in real life there is always a practical answer.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Presumedly, the referee checked to make sure all marks on the field were correct before beginning the game. Failing that, it never hurts to check when needed - sometimes the penalty mark is not where it belongs - 12 yards out from the center of the goal line. If this doesn't cure the problem, under the Laws of the Game as interpreted by FIFA in their Questions and Answers and as directed by the USSF Advice to Referees in 14.2, we know that the referee is not allowed to move the ball to a different location for the kick. This leaves the referee no options for continuing the game, sad as that may seem. Again, I emphasize taking care of such issues BEFORE the game begins, if at all possible.