Question Number: 20847

Law 14 - Penalty kick 2/14/2009

RE: Adult

austin of Charlotte, NC US asks...

There was a penalty kick called against our team. The referee gave the ball to the player on the other team who was going to take the pk. As the referee was walking away, the player took the kick and missed wide. The referee turned around and said that he hadn't blown the whistle yet and allowed the player to take the pk again. Is this the correct call?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It is absolutely correct and required by the Laws.

However, I'm sure everybody else heard my whistle, I wonder why I didn't? I think I signalled, didn't I? Why else would the player take the kick? Goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Unfortunately, the Laws require the kick to be retaken. The Laws also require that the referee signal with the whistle. Before the latest edition of the Laws Of The Game, the referee was only required to give a signal so it was easier to sell that a signal had been given when a player cheated and took the kick when the other team was unprepared and waiting for the referee's signal. There is nothing in the LOTG I'd more like to see changed than the requirement that the kick be retaken even if it misses when the kicker takes the kick before the whistle. If it goes in, fine, retake but why give a player that cheats a second chance?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Austin ,
if by chance a pk kicker was to NOT wait for my whistle and I was to retake as the law demands whether the kicked missed, was caught by the keeper or entered the goal that pk kicker will be cautioned and shown a yellow card and if it was his second yellow then a red card will follow, he will be sent off and his team down a player for the rest of the match. Then the pk would begin again.
The only exception I MIGHT concede was if some else blew a whistle but I would then be hammering mine, trying to stop the pk wondering who had the unmitigated gall to pull such a stunt!
I make the pk explicitly clear, good verbal communication, eye contact, receive affirmative nod then chances of this are nil.

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

The call is correct. And even though this isn't the question you asked, the mechanics are not and I offer the following comments for those referees who might benefit from this event. I think we have all heard that a referee is to NEVER turn their back on a number of situations - including free kicks of which the PK is a 'special case'. Had the referee kept his/her eyes on the ball and player(s), he/she could have stopped this event (more than likely) before it occurred and would have mitigated any need to recover from an embarassing situation and the requisite bit of explaning it probably required. There are specific recommended mechanics for situations such as this and it is our responsibility as referees to understand and implement these practices in accordance with policy and guidance. The recommended practices are there to help keep our butts out of trouble and to help effectively facilitate play with a mimum amount of interference on our part (hopefully). Some of this can be learned from publications and other comes from working with experienced referees. Simply having kept the ball and player in sight probably would have gone a long way to stop this before it happened. All the best,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Unfortunately the player must have another shot... by the book. I always tell new refs, if you don't know how to handle a situation, let the laws be your guide. You can never be wrong if you do that.

Of course, that doesn't make you any happier, because you gave up the goal. Sometimes life isn't fair. This is kind of like being robbed but the cops having no power to help you.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Before handing the kicker the ball the referee must ensure she understands that under no circumstances will it be kicked until there is a signal from you. Further that signal is a whistle. Once this is clearly understood she gets the ball and places it on the mark or where you say the mark should be. After that tend to the other players, outside the penalty area, ten yards and not nearer the goal line than the ball. Next is to face the keeper, here your back might be facing the kicker, and make a plea to stay on the line.

Only then will you back away and ask the keeper if she is ready, she will usually do no more than nod. Then you are free to signal. If the ball goes before that it is because the kicker saw an opening and tried to exploit it, an unsporting act to be sure. That you are free to deal with as appropriate to the tempo of the match and level of play.

Regards,

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

See Question: 21021