Question Number: 15323

Law 14 - Penalty kick 4/30/2007

RE: High School Under 16

Arthur Matheson of Toronto, ON Canada asks...

My team was awarded a penalty shot in the 1st half. One of my players, not the shooter, moved before the shot. We scored, but the ref called an infraction, it did not count, and we did not get a re-kick. Have the rules changed or smoething?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Yes, the rules have changed, prior to last year's World Cup qualifications. Unfortunately your ref committed the same mistake that the ref did in the Uzbekistan/Bahrain game. The restart for a teammate of the kicker infringing the Laws during the taking of a penalty kick is an IFK to the opposing side - unless the ball went in the goal. In that case, it's a retake. The UZB/BAH game had to be replayed because of this error, because of the protest of UZB. Unfortunately UZB lost the rematch, they had won the first game, they should never have protested it but they wanted a higher goal differential!

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Well it depends on how your player moved. If he entered the penalty area prior to the kick then he did commit the infraction. If this occurred and your team scored a goal then the kick should be retaken. It sounds like a mistake was made here, though we would need complete clarification to be sure.