Question Number: 22791

Law 14 - Penalty kick 2/2/2010

RE: select Under 12

John of Lincoln, NE USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 22766

In his response, Ref Joe said: 'If the referee decides that it is unsporting behavior and a goal is scored the player is cautioned and the penalty is retaken'

Wouldn't the restart be a goal kick or a free kick for the defense since the infraction was on the kicker?

Would you still caution the kicker if he missed the pk? Or would the embarrassment of missing be enough?

Thanks for your time.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Coach John
Thanks for following up and seeking further clarification. That is always helpful.
Where the penalty taker has infringed Law 14 and the penalty has been scored, the penalty is retaken. If the penalty taker missed the penalty then play would be stopped, the penalty taker cautioned and the restart is an indirect free kick. Referee Maloney has quoted the actual law on this.
As regards the caution, the referee has no discretion if he goes with a retake for unsporting feinting. The Law states and I quote
'Feinting to take a penalty kick to confuse opponents is permitted as part of football. However, if, in the opinion of the referee, the feinting is considered an act of unsporting behaviour, the player must be cautioned. (Bold inserted by me).


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Answer provided by Referee Tom Stagliano

Coach John

I believe you are referring to a situation in which, at a Penalty Kick, the kicker stops/feints prior to the kick, and the referee determines that the action was unsporting.

If the goal is scored, the referee will disallow the goal, caution the kicker, and the restart would be a Retake of the PK. Any player on that team can take the re-take of the PK, as long as the referee and therefore the goalkeeper is informed who is taking the kick. NOTE: In a soccer game played under high school or college rules in the USA, the caution is not mandatory.

If the original kick was missed (Over the goal line), I as the referee will restart with IFK for the unsporting conduct. I would have a brief word with the kicker while the ball is being retrieved.

If the shot is saved by the goal keeper, I would whistle the play stopped and award the goal keeper's team an IFK, again having a word with the kicker in that short interval before the IFK.

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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Referees have to follow what the Laws of the Game dictate, and in this instance, they say the kick is retaken.

Taken from Law 14, Penalty Kick:

'Infringements and Sanctions
If the referee gives the signal for a penalty kick to be taken
and, before the ball is in play, one of the following occurs:
the player taking the penalty kick infringes the Laws of the Game:
• the referee allows the kick to be taken
• if the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken
• if the ball does not enter the goal, the referee stops play and the match is restarted with an indirect free kick to the defending team, from the place where the infringement occurred'

You'll note it says after the signal and before the ball is put into play (kicked forward). Since the ball entered the goal, the PK is retaken. May not seem fair, but it is the law, and we follow the Law.

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Coach and thanks for the question. Law 14 is clear on what we do if after the signal is given for the kick to begin but before the kick is taken, any infringement of the Law occurs. In this case the kicker committed unsporting behavior which is an infringement of one of the Laws Of The Game. The referee is to allow the kick to be taken. If the ball scores, the kick is retaken. If not, then an indirect free kick is awarded the opponents from where the infringement took place. I know this sounds unfair but it was explained to me that since a goal was taken away from the kicking team it was fair to give them another try. If they didn't score then the fair thing to do was to give the ball to the opponents.

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The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 22796

See Question: 22849