Question Number: 20655

Kicks From The Penalty mark 12/10/2008

RE: USSF Grade 5 Adult

Craig P. Adams of O Fallon, IL USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 20603

Advice to Referees (Miscellaneous Matters) on the Laws of the Game states that once kicks from the mark have begun (up until first kick according to Laws of the Game; page 36; next to last bullet under procedures), there is no further application of 'reduce to equate.' It also states if a player must leave, the opposing team does not 'have to' reduce its numbers.
My question: CAN they reduce their numbers? Please provide a reference with your answer. Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

No. They cannot.

I hope IFAB will change this sometime in the future, but at this time, they cannot reduce to equate after the first kick.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The 'start' of taking kicks from the penalty mark is defined by USSF and also by FIFA as the moment the final whistle has blown for either regulation or extra time. To do it any other way is ripe for misunderstanding and misapplication.

It is not defined as the actual moment a player takes the first kick.

So to determine how many players must be reduced from one team, one looks at how many each team had at the end of the regulation/extra time whistle.

It is the ATR, not the Laws of the Game, that states if a player must leave due to injury or misconduct the kicks will continue without him. It is understood in the LOTG, but often what is 'understood' in the rest of the world needs to be spelled out here in the USA. If the player leaves without permission and is not available to take his turn at kicking, the referee must stop the taking of the kicks and declare the game abandoned.

As for further reduction of players past the initial reduction required, there is none. A team cannot just decide to remove any of their players because the other team lost a member to injury or misconduct. The purpose behind the reduce to equate principle was to allow a team with 11 players to remove their worst kickers up to a number to match the other team as a measure of fairness. It was not intended to allow teams to practice gamesmanship with the number of kickers for any one team. Since you read the ATR, look again at 19.2 - Once the procedure of taking KFTPM has begun, players are not permitted to leave the field, even if they have taken a kick.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Reduce to equate is one of the more well thought out modifications to the Laws in recent years. It is only fair that if one team has a player sent off, and thus they could arrange for their worst PK taker to be off the field, the other team that obeyed the Laws should also be able to remove their worst kicker.

One reason that reduce to equate is not applied after the kicks commence is that it can lead to an unsolvable conundrum. Suppose 10 players from each side have completed their kicks, and the score is ten goals each. Team A's eleventh and worst kicker comes to the mark, and wonders of wonders he scores! Team B's worst kicker comes forward, and trips in a previously unnoticed gopher hole, wrenching his ankle and causing him to be removed from the game. Now wha'cha gonna do? If A had to reduce to match B, all eleven of their kickers have already gone and scored. Are you going to remove one of the A players and say his goal doesn't count? The only thing that can be done is for B to start over on a new round of kicks; any of their players is eligible to take the kick.