Question Number: 12135

Law 18 - Common Sense 2/3/2006

RE: rec and select College

Richard Russo of Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA asks...

Hi, I wanted to verify what I saw on this web-site and is contradictory to what another ref told me. In a game I was doing tonight the defender passed it back to the GK but it was wet and the ball skipped and the keeper misplayed it with the ball swiftly rolling in the goal so he dived and slapped the ball away and I called the IFK on the goal area parallel to where the infraction occurred. Another senior referee who saw it said that it was the incorrect call. Another question, I'm sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find the exact question number. The ball is played forward and the attacker is offside but it never gets to him so you don't call him offside. The reason the ball didn't make it to him is because it was stopped by a defender who, seconds later, is challenged by this attacker. Should I call this person offside?
-thanks for running this web-site, it's awesome

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi RR,
You are spot on mate! I agree with my colleague IF it was a teammate's deliberate pass of the ball, with their foot, to the keeper, the keeper is not allowed to utilize his hands on the ball inside his own penalty area. It is a restriction that is lifted ONLY if another player or opponent makes appropriate contact with the ball. I am curious as to WHY your senior referee would see this different? Did he not think the ball off the teammate's foot was deliberate but rather a deflection?

A referee or AR should recognize the offside positioned ATTACKER'S actions must not interfere with the defender or that constitutes involvement and we have an infringement! Offside player who is in close proximity to a defender is likely judged for involvement on the basis of interferring with an opponent. The further away the less likely, however, IF an offside attacker is closing down the defender.

It is my opinion that the defender has to gain control and uncontested posession of the ball BEFORE the offside positioned player is released from the involvement portion of the equation. If the defender is aware of the oncoming or nearby attacker the defender may adjust his body position to screen or block that offside player from trying to contest for the ball. It is not the defender's responsibility to be aware if the attacker is offside just as it is not the defender's thoughts that a referee uses to decide if an attacker is involved. If I was to place a distance it would likely be under 5 yards and the attacker would have to be in the process of doing something as in closing down on the defender as the ball is coming to him. In your senaro you say several seconds after he had control is likely not offside as the offside should occur BEFORE this.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'd be curious as to what the "senior ref" said you should have done. A teammate deliberately kicks the ball with his foot to his keeper. The keeper may not handle the ball. That's the Law and you acted properly. I hope the "senior ref" didn't suggest you were to send the keeper off for denying a goal!
I defer to my colleagues as to your offside question.