Question Number: 18952

Law 14 - Penalty kick 5/1/2008

Paul Sharp of Burlington, Canada asks...

I actually have 2 questions, but they both involve substitutes.

Scenario 1: Penalty kick is taken and a defending substitute from behind the net warming up jumps out and bats the ball away.

Is he considered an outside agent (therefore no offense and the kick is retaken)? Or do you caution him for unsporting behaviour?

Scenario 2: A substitute on the touch line spits on an opponent whos on the field as he runs by. Ref shows the red card. Does that mean the team has to play a player short? Or is this a different situation with substitutes.

PS. Great site fellas, really helped out my knowledge of the game.

Thanks,

Paul

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

1) A substitute is not an outside agent. Therefore the sub would be cautioned unsporting behavior for the unauthorized entry onto the field. (Outside agents cannot be cautioned.) However, for purposes of the penalty kick, the sub is treated the same as an outside agent would be - if the kick had not reached the goal or the keeper when the sub intercepted it, the PK would be retaken. The referee should be proactive to avoid this situation entirely - have the sub warm up somewhere else and the problem can't happen.

2) The substitute is sent off. But because she was a substitute and not a player, the team plays full-strength. If it was a player temporarily off the field, say to adjust equipment or for in injury, who had not been substituted out of the game, then the team would play short.

Thanks for your thanks.

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Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

1. The PK would be retaken here as it would if an outside agent stopped the PK before it got to the keeper or goal. The substitute would at least receive a caution here for entering the field without the referees permission.

2. No the team does not play short. Only if a player gets sent off do they play short.

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Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Some notes on the substitute coming onto the field without the referee's permission and preventing a fairly taken penalty kick. A referee who allows anyone behind the goal when a penalty is being taken is remiss in his duties because there are just too many things that can [will] go wrong here. Lets start by saying don't signal for the penalty until everyone, except those in bleachers, are not a factor. Presto the problem you mention disappears.

Let's look at what really happened, the penalty kick was not fairly taken and must be taken again because a team mate of the goalkeeper violated Law 14. The Law doesn't stipulate whether or not the member is a player or a substitute or a substituted player, it just says member. The referee is well within the Law to caution and show the yellow card to the substitute entering without permission [of course the reported misconduct is unsporting behaviour]. The facts remain, because the ball never reached the goal the penalty was not fairly taken and must be retaken. A goal wasn't denied, just the penalty kick procedure was not followed.

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