Question Number: 30194

Law 14 - Penalty kick 3/15/2016

RE: Representative Soccer Under 14

Robert Watson of Sechelt, Canada asks...

A PK was called as a result of a trip in the penalty area.

Set up for the PK was made (players out of the penalty area, ball at the mark, keeper on the line, kicker identified and ready to go...

The PK was taken with the ball entering the goal.

The referee indicated that the kick would have to be retaken as a result of either infringement by the team taking the kick or the whistle had not been blown to allow the kick to be taken.

The PK was retaken with the same result (ball in the goal). This time the referee indicated the whistle had not blown to allow the kick to be taken.

The referee awarded a goal kick to the defending team.

Was this the correct decision?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Robert
The referee was totally incorrect here. The correct decision was a retake of the penalty kick. So many times referee get decisions wrong at a penalty kick. The only time that the defending team get to restart after a penalty kick infringement by the attacking team is when the kick is missed.
Very disappointing and a goal kick makes the decision even worse. If he had cautioned the kicker for kicking the ball before the whistle and made a mistake of awarding an IDFK I might not be as harsh on what is still a very poor mistake
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GQGSOvGXGss
In this clip the referee makes a fundamental error in that the correct decision was a retake instead of an IDFK from the penalty mark (which was even wrong had the goal not been scored). The decision caused the last 2/3 minutes of this game to be replayed a week later beginning with the penalty kick after UEFA ruled that the England team protest of a referee error was upheld. Again a poor mistake by the referee which no doubt affected her international career which eventually I believe may have led to her resignation. Other resignation reasons were cited though as structural and personal reasons at the DFB the German FA.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Robert ,
NO it was NOT a correct decision! sigh
The referee has committed a protestable action as it is not within the LOTG to allow such a restart. If this is a match played under FIFA rules it might be replayed or the ROC may wish to reconvene the match at the time this PK was incorrectly done as in the English women's match.
Whistle MUST be used to indicate the Pk is to occur, if the kicker goes too early BEFORE a whistle it should be retaken and a caution show a yellow card to the kicker is likely in order. Mind you if the kick missed and the referee was willing to say, 'Yes, I whistled it! Maybe it was a quiet whistle? lol
Cheers