Question Number: 31014

Law 14 - The Penalty kick 11/12/2016

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

Penalty kick - legal or otherwise.

Is there a technicality breeched in the taking of this penalty kick?

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/807277635678/Incredible-wind-delays-penalty-kick?cx_navSource=related-side-cx#cxrecs_s

In an attempt to have the ball stay on the spot (no pun intended) due to the wind, the kicker 'studs' a spot in the ground.
The LOFG state nobody is allowed to make 'marks', so should there be a retake as the kick did enter the goal, or, goal stands and a caution.

I'm thinking (if we were going to be that pedantic over the rules) that it should be a case of stop play, issue a caution, and then resume the kick.

As always, keen to read the panels thoughts on this.

R

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
I see nothing wrong here. All the player is trying to do is take the kick and she uses a *mark* to assist in that. The alternative is to keep replacing the ball and if that went on long enough without the ball coming to rest the game might have to be abandoned! In the circumstances the player gained no benefit and the law you refer to is to prevent player gaining a benefit such as goalkeepers making marks to assist with positioning.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Russell,
totally ok with me, she, was trying to make a small depression to allow the ball to rest. It was not a foot heel divot designed to mark positioning. The spirit is not being shattered, law 18 common sense applies.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
While it had previously been an unwritten (but widely-accepted) principle that referees should apply the spirit of the laws/game and use common sense it is now spelt out in black and white in the current edition.

On page 171, LotG 2016-17 edition, pdf version you will find the following advice:

''Referees are expected to use common sense and to apply the 'spirit of the game' when applying the Laws of the Game ...''

It seems to me that this is a classic example of where a referee should apply this principle.

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

See Question: 31018

See Question: 31021