Question Number: 12035

Law 18 - Common Sense 1/6/2006

RE: High School

Lynn King of Dyersburg, TN USA asks...

A Player who is running out of bounds beyond the touch line, plays the ball while it is in the field of play; is this legal? Why or why not?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Lynn,
absolutely legal. While we prefer to see players inside the white lines during actual play it is easy to step outside to avoide an opponent or overrun the ball.
What cannot be allowed is if this is tactically done in a manner to cheat as in running in behind the bench and sprint out the otherside or step out to place an opponent in an offside position.

There are two FIFA Q&A references in LAW 3 that show what you can do

1. A player accidentally passes over one of the boundary lines of the
fi eld of play. Is he considered to have left the field of play without the permission of the referee?
No.

2. A player in possession of the ball passes over the touch line or the goalline without the ball in order to beat an opponent. What action does the referee take?
Play continues. Going outside the field of play may be considered as
part of a playing movement, but players are expected, as a general
rule, to remain within the playing area.

this shows an opinion of maybe law 11

2. Does a referee penalise a player who is in an offside position and
moves off the field of play to show the referee that he is not involved
in active play?
No. It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position and there is
no need for the player to leave the fi eld of play. However, if the referee considers that he has left the field for tactical reasons and has gained an unfair advantage by re-entering the fi eld of play, the player should be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.


and then these two, law 3 and law 11 to explain why you cannot!


Can a player deliberately leave the field of play to take liquid refreshment?
Players are entitled to take liquid refreshments during a stoppage in
the match but only at the touch line.

3. A defending player moves beyond his own goal line in order to place an opponent in an offside position. What action does the referee
take?
The referee allows play to continue and cautions the defender for
unsporting behaviour when the ball is next out of play.


Cheers