Question Number: 17394

Law 14 - Penalty kick 10/19/2007

Gil Acedo of Pasadena, CA USA asks...

Hello Refs. I haven't been on your site for awhile but I see you are still doing a magnificent job of educating us who are trying to begin and end matches with as little trouble as possible in between.

Can we visit a topic involving Penalty Kicks? Ever since the recent law changes regarding PK infringements I have been much more cognizant of encroachment violations committed by either team, but I am wrestling with something.

Referees are to always ignore violations that are trifling, that will not affect play. DON'T WHISTLE 'EM!

However nearly every time I as the Referee have witnessed encroachment by either team (non-kickers, non-goal-keeper) during the taking of a PK, the violation itself has had no impact on the kicker or the kick; in other words, trifling. Yet we are instructed to punish the encroaching team, and I have, even though I cringe inwardly.

Please help me reconcile this within myself. Am I missing something?

Thanks for your help.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

A very astute point raised by a recent questioner made note that we all are educated and learn thus enriched by those like yourself who seek to make more of themselves. We respond by looking at the way we can improve our responses and think differently about the game. It is a grand symbiotic combination

No Gil,
you notice what is accepted! If all those players accept it, as it appears trivial to THEM then why would a referee argue the point just because the laws say so? The newer version of the PK rewrite with INDFKs for simply doing the action not actually affecting play, has made the encroachment less of an issue. The restarts occur for an action that we can see and the only condition we need to apply is the miss or goal a direct result of either team encroaching? You and I know it generally is not, it has more to do with rebounds after a miss.

It is rather like an 8 yard free kick zone as the best we get on a player 's version of ten yards. That said if you are going to set a bar then do it in a fashion where there is no doubt. But have EVERYONE in your league on the same page as the teams will most definately see you as over officious if you are the lone referee trying to set the bar as high as it could be! I find because the law tells us to wait until the shot is saved or missed the encroaching action is muddled in with all players already inside. Thus players are looking right and left thinking well everyone is in here?

There is an ideaology that perhaps because referees continually choose to ignore the laws on encroachment the pk will be cease to be judged in this manner instead we could have it judged more in keeping with the way we choose to see it.
The pk kicker scores a goal we have kick off we have a miss we have a goal kick! Only the kicker versus the keeper with no rebounds.

In my opinion only, set the bar as high as the law allows, do it the same everytime and do not cringe. I personally allow 1 step as the ball is struck for all as that hard to dermine when the ball motion begin stuff occurs.
If I see a full body inside before that ball is on its way we are looking to see if there is a retake depending on who it is and the outcome.
Your match !Your decision! Your reputation!
Always a pleasure to hear from you sir!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Thanks Gil, appreciate the kudo. Penalty kicks, sheesh... Point to a referee that does it right and you have pointed to someone who everybody calls an officious [person without a known father]. Law 14 is written in such a simple way, if this then that.

So bang goes the kick and this happens then the referee starts thinking and whatever that was gets lost in the skull full of mush and PRESTO another frigging myth is born. Remember in olden times when encroachment or moving was cautioned, ever see two referees do it that way. FIFA changed it because it appeared no one cautioned so how come have it written that way. They made it simpler so the referees couldn't screw it up. They just don't know how shallow courage is, did they?

I'll bet if FIFA changed Law 14 to this:

Law 14 - The Penalty Kick

There are only two possible eventualities on a penalty kick

Kick-off or goal kick. If a goal is scored the side against which the goal is scored restarts play with a kick-off. If no goal is scored play is stopped and restarted with a goal kick to be taken from the same end as the penalty was taken.

Some free thinker will screw that up too just because it's slightly more complicated than offside...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The referee can make it clear of his expectations before the kick is taken. I will always warn keeper not to leave line early or the kick will be retaken. Also, remind players not to encroach until the ball is in play. It is up to your interpretation as to what to call and what not to call, but keep in mind that "trifiling" refers to fouls per law 12. Penalty kick violations are not part of law 12.

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

See Question: 17721