Question Number: 33775

Law 14 - The Penalty kick 11/14/2019

RE: Amateur Adult

George of Parangarecutirimicuaro , CA Sacratomato asks...

This question is a follow up to question 33763

I was looking for feedback if anyone had any. I have read lots of articles from random places. Some, claimed that one of the rule changes was that the PK was completed and over if it was blocked by keeper or if it hit the goal posts. Other articles claimed it was an error. Others claimed it is a rule change under consideration, therefore leagues have the option to adopt such rule. Finally, it was brought to my attention, that a local referee, who has officiated games at very high levels (international matches), has been applying such rule in a local league.
I just want to find credible information on the matter.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi George,
I contacted the IFAB about the phrase, ''The penalty kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence,' appearing in Law 14 as a separate clause. The response I got is that the line is only there because it applies when a penalty is taken in additional time that has been allowed for that purpose, at the end of a half, as specified in the following paragraph. It is not applicable during the course of normal play.

It is true that there has been a suggestion of a change in the law that would make penalties during normal play more like penalties during KFPM and this if adopted, presumably would not allow the kicker a second touch even from a save by the keeper. However this has not been actually put forward as a laws amendment at any point (let alone adopted), no experiments into it have been authorised and no local body or competition authority can adopt changes or run experiments that have not been authorised by the IFAB.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi George
The credible information is in the magic book!
One of the problems about discussions about law changes and with so many changes is that myths develop which are totally contrary to the Law.
Ever since this was tidied up following the infamous incident in the KFTPM between France and Brazil in the 1986 World Cup myths have continued. I know of at least two penalty kick in KFTPM that were disallowed because the ball rebounded off the GK. Sigh!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nhvqIjgQ04&t=4m0s
Even the respected Jimmy Hill got it wrong in his commentary.
The France Brazil incident was reviewed by IFAB at its next meeting and it was agreed that the referee was 100% correct. The wording was subsequently improved so that there could be no ambiguity about this.
The wording has since been simplified to
** The penalty kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence.**
That to me is 100% clear and if the ball hits post, goalkeeper, crossbar in any combination and direction and keeps moving crossing the goal line it is a goal.
In the KFTPM only there was an ambiguity at one time about no mention of a follow up kick not being allowed ! It was always understood that could NOT happen in KFTPM although it was not expressly stated.
That wording omission is also tidied up for the wordsmiths who said that it was not written down. I never ever seen or heard of a follow up kick in KFTPM. Anyway it is now written down and in Law 10 it now states that for KFTPM ONLY
** The kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence; the kicker may not play the ball a second time**
And by the way NO league can change the Laws of the Game. It can amend rules of competition but not the Laws.
Finally I would bring the senior referees incorrect application of the Law to the attention of the relevant body. Just because someone is senior or officiated at a higher level does not make them right or being able to do what they want to do when it is contrary to the Laws.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi George,
There has been some discussion about proposing a change to the Penalty Kick so that, like Kicks From The Mark after a match, there can be no follow-up kick. This has not been implemented.

The current edition of the LOTG has some confusing wording in the Penalty Kick law and it could be misread to think that this change has already occurred - but it has not.

So like always, once the ball is kicked and moves forwards, it's in play and anything can happen. Of course the ball would need to touch another player before the kicker could touch it again.

One would hope that somebody reports that local referee in question so the association has the chance to correct the knowledge gap, assuming what you've heard is correct.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi George
I have not seen that change in the NEW LOTG 2019 -2020? The ball must be saved and held , go out of play and or conclusively roll out and away where no possibility of it returning via its own momentum after the ball is kicked. During PKFTM to decide a winner the kicker hammered the ball off the junction of the left post and crossbar, across the goal mouth it hit the back of the keepers legs redirected to right post and in. Keeper had no control although the chances are if the ball had not hit the keeper, the ball would have gone out and away from goal we have a lucky BUT good goal!
Cheers