Question Number: 31830

Law 14 - The Penalty kick 9/26/2017

RE: Select Under 15

Gary Robinson of Pleasant Grove, UT USA asks...

I was the center referee in a recent U15 girls' match. The green team was fouled by the red team inside the red team's penalty box, so I awarded a penalty kick to the green team. I instructed the goal keeper, then asked the attacking team 'who is taking the kick?' One girl identified herself, so I handed her the ball, told her to place the ball and wait for my whistle. When everyone was set, I whistled for the PK and a DIFFERENT player on the green team rushed forward and kicked the ball into the net.

I blew my whistle and awarded an IDFK to the red team at the penalty spot. I did not caution the original or wrong kicker. I'm now second guessing the restart. Should it have been a caution for the wrong kicker but a retake of the PK? I've been through Law 14 but haven't come to a clear conclusion.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Gary,
NO you were correct except you could have shown the yellow card to the illegal kicker
the LOTG request the player taking the penalty kick must be properly identified. IF a team-mate of the identified kicker takes the kick you MUST the referee caution the player who took the kick show her a yellow card and you restart with an INDFK out no matter if the illegal kick scored or missed.

IF as a tactic you want to get cute you might try to have two players approach the CR one places the ball on the spot as the other states I will be taking the kick. Then goes back out into the arc while the player who set the ball continues to back out over the PA . Referee blows and the actual PK kicker in the ARC surges forward .

The player taking the penalty kick must be properly identified. As far as I know properly identified is to the CR not a public announcement?
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gary
Thanks for the question.
Yes you got the restart correct as it is an IDFK. Your only mistake was that the new kicker should have been cautioned for USB.
The answer can be found in the following quote in Law 14
** except for the following when play will be stopped and restarted with an indirect free kick, regardless of whether or not a goal is scored:
# a penalty kick is kicked backwards
# a team-mate of the identified kicker takes the kick; the referee cautions the player who took the kick**
Plus the Summary Table in Section 3 which states IDFK for a *Wrong Kicker*.
The text was also changed to read **The player taking the penalty kick must be clearly identified** instead of properly identified
What clearly identified means is up to the referee. The accepted position is that a player comes forward to take the ball and places it looks to me as the clearly identified kicker. We all make the assumption that the player doing that is the kicker so I would say that you were 100% correct to do what you did. It was a ruse that went pear shaped. The learning point is that if the kicker goes *missing* outside the PA then I suggest no whistle to allow the kick to be made and step in to identify the kicker. There cannot be two opponents inside the penalty area anyway or for that matter none.
The only mute point is whether the IDFK is from the penalty mark or from where the illegal kicker entered the penalty area. The previous stated position in the Laws was the point of the encroachment. Law 14 does not now spell it out yet the principle in the Laws is that a free kick is taken from the location of the infringement. Is it the penalty mark or the point of entry into the PA? It is not a huge issue for the game compared to the goal being disallowed