The Ref Stop

Bournemouth Penalty v Leicester

Sheffields Finest

Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind!
Level 7 Referee
Law states .... The referee shall confirm the following requirements before the penalty kick is taken:
......the ball is properly placed on the penalty mark

Question is, Where does it say that the balls circumference can clip a line? With a corner the phrase is slightly different! eg.
  • The ball must be placed in the corner area
Were the Leicester players right to complain??
 
The Ref Stop
Sort answer is no.

For a corner, it can be interpreted that 'in' means the whole of the ball has to be in the area. But it is accepted that the projection of any part can be in the area. Same 'convention' is applied for a penalty even though the word 'on' is used. For me the reason one uses 'in' and the other 'on' is only because one is a 'mark' and the other an area, not because different convention should be used.

To be honest the difference is only about three inches in a distance of 12 yards. It shouldn't even be a point of debate considering goalkeepers' encroachment of much bigger than that are ignored.
 
So, on a corner it clips the line its most certainly in the 'area' (projected upwards). It specifically says 'on' the mark therefore there is a clear difference!! IMO
 
The point I am making is that form grammar point of view, can you say "in the mark"? My thoughts are the law intends to use the same principle as a corner but can't use the same word as a corner from a grammar point of view.
 
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