Question Number: 31854

Kicks From The Penalty mark 10/2/2017

RE: Adult

Osmaj of Thimphu, Thimphu Bhutan asks...

In a penalty shootout, winner is declared after 4 players kicking and one player registered is a player who left field of play, My question is what will be the decision of the declared winner if we come to know about the player later

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
The procedure for Kicks from the Penalty Mark are clearly set out. All players on the field of play at the final whistle has to take a kick unless they have declare themselves injured. If a player declare himself injured then the opponents get to reduce their number by one as well.
In the situation where a substitute or a substituted player who was not be eligible to take a kick does in fact do so the opponents can lodge a protest with the competition authority and if proven I would say that the matter would be referred to a panel for decision as to what sanction should be given. If it is in fact proven I would say that the team might forfeit the game. The challenge will be proving who took kicks as the referee team should ensure that only eligible player actually take a kick.
My experience is that protest at the time is much better as the matter can be decided by the referee team at that very moment based on the referees record of the game. Record keeping and memory can be very fickle days after a game.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Osmaj,
If one of the players who took a kick was not on the field at the end of the game (unless he was just temporarily absent because of injury, adjusting equipment etc) then he was not eligible to participate and should not have been allowed to take a kick.

If this were appealed, any decision on it would be up to the competition organisers and would depend on being able to prove the facts of the case.