soccer

A penalty kick (or penalty) is a type of free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards (approximately eleven metres) out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.

Penalty kicks are performed during normal play. Similar kicks are made in a penalty shootout in some tournaments to determine who progresses after a drawn match; though similar in procedure, these are not penalty kicks and are governed by slightly different rules.
In practice, penalties are converted to goals more often than not, even against world class goalkeepers. This means that penalty awards are often decisive, especially in low-scoring games.

The penalty kick is taken from the penalty mark, which is a midline spot 12 yards (11 m) from the goal. The penalty kick taker (who does not have to be the player who was fouled) must be clearly identified to the referee.
All players other than the defending goalkeeper and the penalty taker must be outside the penalty area, behind the penalty mark, and at least ten yards (9.15 m) from the ball (i.e. outside the penalty arc) until the ball is kicked. The goalkeeper must remain between the goalposts on the goal-line facing the ball until the ball is kicked, but may move from side to side along the goal-line. If the goalkeeper moves forward before the ball is kicked, then the penalty must be kicked again if a goal is not scored.
After the referee blows his whistle, which is the signal for the kick to be taken, the kicker must kick the ball in a forward direction (not necessarily at the goal, though this is almost always the case). The ball must be kicked after a run-up by the taker, who may slow his run but may not completely stop once the run-up has begun.[citation needed] If the taker scores after violating this rule, the kick must be re-taken.
The ball is in play once it has been kicked and moved, and at this point in time other players may enter the penalty area and play continues as normal. Most often a goal has already been scored, the ball has been kicked behind the goal line, or the keeper has gained possession of the ball. Sometimes, however, the ball will rebound from the saving keeper or the woodwork; if this happens, any goal that may follow does not count as one scored from penalty, even if a goal is immediately scored from the rebound.