Question Number: 33177

Law 14 - The Penalty kick 3/23/2019

RE: Adult

Shaun of melbourne , Australia asks...

during a penalty kick, the kicker jump over the ball and miss the kick, what referee should do?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Shaun,
There's not an awful lot of detail in your description so that makes it a little difficult to know exactly what is going on here. If the referee comes to the conclusion that the player has committed the offence of 'feinting to kick the ball once the kicker has completed the run-up' then the referee should stop play, caution the kicker and restart with an indirect free kick to the defending team.

If on the other hand the referee decides that this was some kind unfortunate accident (involving some kind of loss of balance, or a misjudgment of the run up for example) then the referee could allow the player another attempt at taking the kick.

It's tricky to make a definitive statement based on the information provided.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Shaun,
after a PK is awarded the pk kicker is identified to the referee. The referee ensures all players are properly positioned and the whistle sounds to begin the restart. The kicker in his run up can alter the speed and do a bit of a skip but he must kick the ball to put it in play. If he accidentally stumbled or fell over the ball we likely let him pick up his embarrassed butt and redo, as long as there was no actual contact with the ball. If it was deliberate then we could see it as a cautionable action of a feint gone bad after the completed run up or a time wasting action and award an INDFK out.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shaun
Very likely that the player has illegally feinted at the ball which is a caution and an IDFK restart at the penalty mark to the defending team.
Perhaps if the player slipped and fell over the ball missing it completely the referee could decide that it was not deliberate and have the kick retaken.
Have a look at these three videos
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=1m30s&v=7jG1TRFIj6c
On the first two there were cautions and IDFKs to the defending teams whereas the last one was just a double touch infringement only with no card.
I cannot really envisage a player missing the ball completely except on purpose?