Question Number: 15858

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/22/2007

RE: High School

David of Barre, Vermont United States asks...

Is a foul off the ball in the box always a penalty kick?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi David,
it DEPENDS on what type of foul and whether the ball is in play!
A Pk can only occur if the foul is one of the TEN penal fouls!
Only a player can perform a foul!
That foul must occur inside or on the penalty 18 yard area (not box)boundry lines!
That foul MUST be against an opposing player except in handles the ball deliberately where no opoonent is directly or physically affected
The ball must be actively in play!

Do you know the ten penal fouls?

You are aware that there are INDFK awarded to infringments away from the ball?

While the ball is in play a player inside his own PA (penalty area)strikes a team mate or a referee?
It is an indfk from that point NEVER a pk. No opponent is involved but play was stopped to deal with it!

While the ball is in play a player inside his own PA impededs an opponent?

It is an indfk from that point . Here an opponent is involved and play was stopped to deal with it! However because it is not a penal offence, it can NEVER be a PK!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

My esteemed colleague forgets the nastiness of political correctness and American high school soccer. What he says is correct. has to be an offense listed in Rule 12 sections 1-4 to be a penalty kick. The offenses are the same as in the Laws of the Game but the order is all jumbled up and they are not called direct free kick offenses. Striking a team mate and the referee are the same as everywhere else, too.

What can happen ONLY in USA high school soccer is an indirect free kick is awarded to the opponents it a player participates in dangerous play against an opponent or team mate. Yup, you read that one right, indirect free kick against for a "dangerous play" "foul" against a team mate. Why? Because they can write anything they want and because no one says no, it sticks.

Peachy,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

That depends on what type of foul it was. Kicking, striking, jumping at, tripping, holding, pushing, charging and handling are all dfk OR PK's if in penalty area. Impeding and dangeorus play would be IFK offenses though whether in penalty area (not box) or not.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

One of the 10 penal fouls, if called, inside the penalty area by the defenders results in a penalty kick. Any other foul committed by the defenders inside their own penalty area results in an indirect free kick. Keep in mind that 6 of these must be committed at least carelessly in order to be considered a foul.