Question Number: 32769

Law 14 - The Penalty kick 10/2/2018

RE: Competitive Adult

Melwyn of Mumbai, Maharashtra India asks...

This question is a follow up to question 32762

Thank you for clarifying my query (Ref: 32762). In a similar case, what if the players swap position without informing the Referee? Does the referee allow the kick to be taken and then caution both players? After the caution, allowing the goal to stand (if it was scored) or continuing with play if the goal wasn't scored (where the Referee waits for ball to go out of play and then caution both players).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Melwyn
I cannot really imagine a situation where the referee would not know of a goalkeeper change at a penalty kick. I could imagine say a change at half time with the referee not being informed in which case the change is ignored.
If the change happened during play the referee allows play to continue until the next stoppage and both players are cautioned.
In the case of a penalty kick and the change is not realised until after the kick the referee awards the goal and cautions both if a goal is scored or if no goal is scored play continues until the next stoppage with the players cautioned at that time.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Melwyn,
a referee should have a grasp of the situation and who is who . Players sneakily trying to change positions seems ludicrous on the surface of things to worry about. Halftime switch might cause a problem in matches that have a lot of substitutions but at a PK ?? Seems near impossible? When all that is required is a simple request at the PK hard to imagine why anyone would go though such tactics . We see switches at youth, for often the best talented and quickest player is both their star center and quickest keeper. If indeed it does occur cautions at the next stoppage if a miss and play continues or at the scoring of the goal before kick off .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Melwyn,
Like my colleagues, I am having difficulty imagining a scenario where a team could swap goalkeepers at a penalty without the referee being aware of it. So for me, the question should never arise. Any time a penalty is being taken the referee must always be fully involved and directing affairs so if there is a change, it would always be with the referees knowledge and involvement.