Question Number: 20920

Kicks From The Penalty mark 3/2/2009

RE: Adult

Alasdair of Windsor, UK asks...

When a player is sent off this is to penaslise his team for him comitting a foul or fouls. if the match goes to a penalty shoot out is the side with 11 players left on the field at the end of the match allowed 11 penalties to the other teams's 10...always assuming a result hasn't been reached before that stage.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

No. FIFA and the IFAB determined several years ago that Kicks from the Penalty Mark to decide a match winner would proceed only with equal numbers of players on each team.

If Team A finishes with 10, and Team B still has 11 at the final whistle, Team B must choose one player to leave the field. This was to allow the team with more players to drop someone who might not be a super kicker. It is a Fair Play idea.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

FIFA QUOTE
? If, at the end of the match and before kicks start to be taken from the penalty mark, one team has a greater number of players than their opponents, they must reduce their numbers to equate with that of their opponents and the team captain must inform the referee of the name and number of each player excluded

? Before the start of kicks from the penalty mark, the referee must ensure that an equal number of players from each team remains within the centre circle and they shall take the kicks

? If a player is injured or sent off during the taking of kicks from the
penalty mark and the team has one player less, the referee should
not reduce the number of players taking kicks for the other team.
An equal number of players from each team is required only at the
start of the taking of kicks from the penalty mark

End quotes

Kicks from the penalty mark are a method to decide an outcome AFTER the match is over! If one team is reduced in numbers through injury or send off the opposing team is forced to choose the player(s) that were present on the field at the end of the match that WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE so the same number of players are representing each team.

Fifa quote
? The kicks from the penalty mark are not part of the match

There has been debate as to, WHEN do the kicks begin?

At the final whistle ending the regulation/overtime match?
When the referee chooses which goal the keepers will defend?
At the coin flip for who gets to take the first kick?
Or when the first kick is actually underway towards the goal?

I believe there are different interpretations at the moment as to whether misconduct or injury after the final whistle but before the first kick is taken can create reduce to equate situations that are different then the status of play at the final match ending whistle.

Let me explain, if the match ends 11 blue players but 10 red players, blue must choose one player to not participate so each team has ten participants.

The timing is important because reduce to equate occurs BEFORE the kicks are to be taken. Once the kicks begin the teams are NOT forced to reduce to equate. Personally I feel this is a bad idea!

Once the whistle goes if we had a last second injury on a tackle or a fight breaks out where the participants MUST be sent off after that whistle there is a distinction that must be made of whether it is now too late to reduce to equate given no kick has actually occurred yet.

I believe it prudent to be able to equate the sides right up until the first whistle signaling the first kick to be taken.
I read into the text of the FIFA quote maintaining there is a period of time in-between before the kicks begin and the end of the match, where, if a send off occurs or players are unable to continue there is yet time to equate!

I do understand some associations choose the end match whistle as a deadline for that process. As a Canadaian referee I am still unclear of what the Canadaian soccer position is at this moment as to WHEN the kicks sequence has become preventing the reduce to equate option

Cheers