Question Number: 25832

Law 5 - The Referee 12/15/2011

RE: amateur Adult

Michal of Trenton, New Jersey USA asks...

Two players, one from each team is getting help from their medical stuff outside of the field of play. Team A is awarded a penalty kick. After the whistle but before the kick was taken one of the medical stuff from team A is entering the field of play and punching the player from the B.

What should I do as the referee?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Michael
The 'best' decision is to get play stopped before the penalty kick is taken. The team official is then removed from the field of play / surrounds and the game is restarted with the original penalty kick.
However if the penalty kick is taken then the referee waits for the outcome. If the penalty is not scored the referee stops play, removes the team official from the field of play / surrounds and the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.
If a goal was scored from the penalty kick the goal is disallowed, the team official is removed from the field of play / surrounds and while the Law is mute on the point I suggest that the restart is a retake as in line with other offences committed by the team taking the kick. The matter is reported in the match report in all circumstances.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Let's see. A team official enters the field when the ball is not in play and strikes a player.

As for me, I'm: (1) holding up the kick; (2) dismissing the team official, (3) waiting for the team official to leave sight and sound of the field; and (4) then have the penalty kick taken.

Law 14 provides for the referee to let the kick continue when there is an infringement of the laws by the kicker, the keeper, or any of their teammates. The physio/trainer is not one of them. Don't let them interfere with the kick. But in cases of violent conduct, the referee should hold up the kick and immediately deal with the misconduct even if done by a kicker, keeper or teammate. (See Advice To Referees 14.11).

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You say this happened before the kick was taken. Blow the whistle again and prevent the kick from being taken. Remove the team official that entered the field and punched the opposing player from sight and sound of the field and be sure to write a scathing account of the incident in your report.
Then continue with the original penalty kick

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

See Question: 25841