Question Number: 3825

Kicks From The Penalty mark

RE: Tournament/Play-offs/etc

Ben Mueller of Sheboygan, WI United States asks...

Hi,..In response to question 3808, the one about the team being reduced to 6 players after regulation in a shoot-out, here is my opinion:..The laws of the game state that it is up to local authorities to decide whether or not a match should continue if a team is reduced to less than 7 players, but FIFA is of the opinion that it should not. Since a shoot-out is part of the match, it is up to local authorities on whether or not this match should continue, but FIFA recommends that it does not. If the match does continue, the team that has 7 players must reduce their shoot out squad to 6 also. Chances are a player with a broken ankle would receive immediate medical treatment so most likely the team would have to play the shoot-out with 6 if allowed. This all assumes that the injured player has left the field and will not return. The laws of the game do say that a player can receive medical treatment outside the field and return after so if the player did not leave the field and was receving treatment the shoot-out could proceed. This player would have to be designated as a kicker and would need to attempt a kick if the situation arises. If this happens, the injured player must sit with his/her team in the center circle or outside the field (providing he/she is receiving treatment) and attempt a kick if the situation calls for it. My guess would be that this player would be carried to the PK mark by a teamate and do his/her best to score. Now, technically the injured players team could not just say "well if it comes down to kick 7 we get counted for a miss." It would not be within the referees authority to record a miss since the ball never was kicked and never moved forward it was never put into play. If it comes down to this and the team with the injured player refuses to have this player attemot a kick, the match is abandoned and the referee reports the situation to the proper authority. This situation is a fun situation to think about, but I would be surprised if it actually happened. I look forward to the panels reply regarding this...Ben Mueller

Answer provided by Referee Dawson

Hi Ben,.You are jumping in on this one big fella with some good thoughts but I would approach your local policy people before deciding on the final option. Your USSF policy paper, read it and then see where you think this will lead to? Perhaps not all national associations will agree here we are taking a wait and see attitude...In my Own opinion based on the information I have found on the USSF POLICY position.QUOTE.The kicks phase of the match begins at the moment regulation play ends(including any overtime periods of play.).END QUOTE..The game is over with one team at 7 aside. KICKS from the penalty spot apply immediately so even if the players are dismissed, leave or are injured as long as one remains the pks could be taken...USSF POLICY PAPER REDUCE TO EQUATE.http://www.ussoccer.com/templates/includes/services/referees/pdfs/position_papers/reduce.pdf..The ATR section is.http://dps.altdc3.va.twimm.net/USSF/doc/content/doc_6_41.pdf.3.16 NUMBER OF PLAYERS DURING KICKS FROM THE PENALTY MARK.Quote.If a player is dismissed during the taking of the kicks, the contest continues without him. Although Law 3 requires that a match may not be started with fewer than seven players on each side, this does not apply to the taking of kicks from the penalty mark. If one of the teams is able to field only five or six players for the kicks, the taking of kicks may begin, and it may continue as long as there is one player left..END Quote. .The reduced amount for the opposing team is 7 players as that was what was in place at the end of the game. You are correct if the injured player was able to participate he could do so but he can not be replaced unless he was the keeper. So a tactic might be to say he will be the keeper, switch jerseys and to suffer for a few seconds longer before declaring himself injured. An injured keeper is permitted a substitution during a PK shootout provided the allowable subs have not been exceeded. Far fetched but what about this senario is not. :o). .I believe the USSF Policy statement,. QUOTE .Under no circumstances will a team be required to "reduce to equate" if the opposing team loses one or more players due to injury or misconduct occurring during the kicks phase of the match. .END QUOTE..I find the word REQUIRED to be interesting it begs the question CAN a team voluntarily ask the numbers to be equal so their best PK takers are doing the shooting? I believe that the decison to equate happens at the matchend and then if the opposing players are further reduced by whatever reason the other team MAY reduce as it is in their interest to do so ..As there is some conflict between the ATR and the NEW policy I expect a bit more rumblings to occurr before we are CERTAIN of anything. Whether different countries have different viewpoints I am sure this will be discussed at length yet. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Nagy

Hi Ben! I think you should write a novel. You have ideas that do not burden others. I am Canadian and luckiy our National body concurs with IFAB. When I asked, this is the response from Emerson Mathurin to my enquiry. Law 3 states that a game shall not start with less than 7 on each side. IFAB Decision 1 of Law 3 recommends that a game not continue unless there are seven or more on each side. Although it is left to National Associations to change if they so wish, the Canadian Soccer Association endorses the FIFA position. Why can't other countries, like the USA, see their folly and make life easy and go with FIFA? Maybe life is just too boring otherwise...

Answer provided by Referee haselden

I throw in with Dawson on this one. Part of the controversey on this situation is in determining whether KFTPM is part of the Match. Law 7 states that the Match lasts for two equal periods of 45 minutes... and that Competition rules may provide for two further equal periods to be played. KFTPM are not mentioned here as being part of the Match. Instead, we go to the section titled Procedures to Determine The Winner of A Match. The first paragraph states that "The Golden Goal and KFTPM are methods of determining the winning team where competition rules require there to be a winning team AFTER a Match has been drawn." These two references make it clear to me that the Match itself is over and the KFTPM is simply a method of determining a winner. If FIFA wanted to be clear about this specific situation, a sentence could be added to the "reduce and equate" language in the Procedures to Determine The Winner of A Match section. In summary, I believe the wording considering 7 players is meant to apply to the actual playing of the match. This would be in the spirit of the game. It would certainly not be in the spirit of the game to abandon a match where a team playing with only 7 players is tied at the end of field play and through no fault of their own are denied the opportunity to win.

Answer provided by Referee ref

Looks like everyone wants a go at this, me too. The duration of the match, as described in Law 7 is 90 minutes subject to prior agreement. Given this match has ended there should be no concerns about starting the match with less than seven players. IFAB decision 1 of Law 3 again addresses the minimum number of players to continue a match and leaves that to the discretion of the national associations. But, the number 7 is still a recommendation. As the match has ended there is no need to continue playing. The match ended with an equal number of goals being scored and was, therefore, drawn. The rules of the competition demand a result. The problem now is three fold...1. If the match is over, can a result be obtained through kicks from the penalty mark with less than 7 players on one or both sides?..2. Do penalty kicks begin immediately the game ends, when the coin is tossed, when the captain gives the list of shooters to the referee, when the referee talks to the sides or when the first kick is taken?..3. Having entered taking kicks from the penalty mark can one side reduce to equate the other side voluntarily?..I think we can discuss the question in this forum, or any other forum and all that'll be accomplished is our opinions will be voiced. Ladies and gentlemen, that does not answer the question at hand. The answer must come from the highest levels of football. The national associations will then, digest it and each will establish policy. At that point we referees will do as we're instructed, hopefully the same way as the rest of the world...TTFN, fleischer