Question Number: 26040

Law 1- The Field 3/7/2012

RE: Select/Competetive Under 19

Danny Vaughan of North Vancouver, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 405

The Penalty Spot..

Hello, Clearly even though this is my no.1 passion... I've played the game my entire life.. It never ceases to amaze me how much I'm still trying to understand ??

We are awarded a Penalty Kick.. 0-0 game.. very tough on our opposition.. didn't see it the way our Ref did..

We are playing on a relatively new Artificial Turf field but for some unknown reason, the penalty spot was marked but had sunken into quite a obvious Hole.

The Ref. steps up and places the ball in the hole... our player argues that he wants to move it from the hole.. Then I call out from the sidelines and tell our player to place the ball on the very back edge of the spot, which I considered reasonable.

Ref. runs over and tells me.. ' Once more and you're out of here '.. goes back and gives our player a yellow card for moving the ball.. then he places the ball back in the hole and we score...

Do you find this sort of thing way over the top.... Is it necessary to really take away a potential advantage by enforcing your perception of a Law ... I know the ball has to be placed on the spot.. but a little common sense surely... Holes, Puddles.. etc

Thanks again

Danny

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sorry Danny, the ball must be placed on the penalty mark. If the conditions of the field prevent this, the game must be abandoned.

Was the referee over the top for telling you he would throw you out if you said anything else? Possibly. We don't know what else you had said during the game. Was the yellow card deserved? I don't think so.

Common sense often prevails but there are some things in the LOTG that must be adhered to. Placing the ball at a penalty kick on the penalty mark simply has to be done.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Danny
The ball has to be placed on the penalty mark. It cannot be off the mark nor can holes or puddles be compensated for. The referee should inspect the penalty marks before the game to ensure that they are 'fit for purpose'
Now it is a matter IMO for the player to place the ball not the referee. As long as any part of the ball is touching any part of the mark then that is legal. I notice in the CL game between Arsenal and AC Milan the referee asked Van Persie to move the ball at a penalty kick. From the close up camera view it looked to me that, while the ball was not centered but slightly forward, it was still touching the mark. To be fair to the referee AC Milan's captain did complain about the ball placement which I felt was gamesmanship. The ball was placed to the satisfaction of the referee and it was scored. The referee is the sole judge of what is legal.
As regards the referees handling of the matter IMO he could have ignored your shout from the line. He should simply have asked the player to place the ball legally on the mark and when he was satisfied with the placement signalled for the kick to be taken. If the player persisted to ignore the referee's instructions then a caution would be justified.