Question Number: 30889

Kicks From The Penalty mark 10/12/2016

RE: Rec Other

George of Parangarecutirimicuaro, CA Sacratomato asks...

As i re-read modifications, I thought back to a game that went to penalty kicks. Players were too nervous and volunteers were scarce. My question is, if a nervous player decides he/she has a restroom emergency in the middle of kicks from the mark, does the other team reduce one player? Or would we wait for player to make it back for the kick? And if not back in time, that player's turn would count as a miss?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi George
The team has to make a decision as to what it wants to do. If the player is not excluded which allows the opponents to reduce to equate then if the player has not returned to take a kick before the 2nd round of kicks then it must be recorded as a miss when he is not there to take his kick.
Anyway it is a highly unlikely scenario. More likely at the lower levels that a player cannot stay in which case the opponents are asked to reduce to equate.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi George,

While a team does have the option to say that a player is unable to take part in KFTPM and if that happens the other team must reduce to equate, as I understand the situation you outline, the player has simply decided to leave the field and it is not clear if or when the player will return.

This being the case, and assuming the player is still able to take part but simply does not return in time to take a kick, the kick is forfeited.

The actual wording in the laws is:

''Kicks from the penalty mark must not be delayed for a player who leaves the field of play. The player's kick will be forfeited (not scored) if the player does not return in time to take a kick.''