Question Number: 15766

Law 14 - Penalty kick 6/12/2007

RE: Rec Adult

Doug of Toronto, Canada asks...

I called a penalty. Keeper saves it, but he moved off the line before the ball was kicked. I order a retake. Different player takes the penalty. Again, the ball is saved, but the keeper moved from the line again. Again, I order a retake. Again, a different player takes the penalty. No infringeemnts occur and a goal is scored. After the penalty, the team which conceded the penalty argued that the same player has to take the retake and he knew that rule for a fact. Is this true? I looked in the law book, but found nothing.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There is no such provision in the Laws of the Game. I wouldn't doubt that sometime somewhere somebody promulgated such a rule for a local competition.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Doug,
this so called fact is a total myth my friend! You were Spot on! The team was speaking total bogwash. The Pk taker can be a different kicker as long as he is identified as the kicker before you signal each PK to begin. Sounds like you had the testicular fortitude to retake as required, the keeper should have gotten the message after the first retake or so you would think.

I find it unusual to see a rotation of three separate kickers occur but perfectly legal! Perhaps the coach thought it tactically prudent to have another player retake! It could be to put off the keeper or he felt each miss weighed on the kicker's mind!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

You got it right, the team did not. See Ref Dawson's answer for more detail.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Absolutely correct. You even could have cautioned the keeper the second time he infringed Law 14. The thing you can't do is prevent any one, properly identified, kicker from taking the penalty kick.

Well Done,