Question Number: 13953

Law 11 - Offside 9/27/2006

RE: Rec Adult

Mike Larsen of Brigham City, Utah USA asks...

Player A is playing a ball over the defense's line that has lined up for an offsides trap. Player B is in an onsides position prior to the pass. Player A runs into an offsides position while the ball is in the air. The ball is deflected by a defender but still continues past to Player A. Is Player A offsides?

I have always heard that offsides is determined from when a team mate last touches the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Judge offside positions at the instant the ball is hit. If no one is offside then there is no possibility of an offside offense until the ball is touched again by a team mate. Then we look again, etc., etc.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

The dynamic change in position while the ball is in the air is not an issue. No offside infraction should be called. As Ref Fleischer states, the offside position is determined at the time the ball is played by the teammate. All the best,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mike,
running after the ball is not an infringement.
If there was no offside criteria in effect WHEN the ball was last touched by the teammate.
The off the ball movement during the ball flight does NOT change that fact.

The DEFLECTION off the defender does not change that fact. As I have repeatedly stated a deflection of the ball by an opponent does not reset offside criteria, what WAS stays as it WAS. In this case there was no OFFSIDE position at the start of this play thus no offside is possible off a opposing player deflection later in the play.

Offside phase is only reset at the next touch of a ball by any teammate where we will again consider everyone's whereabouts in respect to POSITION only. Ref Fleischer has a very good offside explanation with key points that you could read on the main web page. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No offside here because player was onside at time ball hit teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Alexander

An offside may only be judged to be an offence when the ball is played by a team mate - if the attacker is onside when the ball is played but then in an offside position when the ball is touched or played by a defender the attacker is not infringing the laws of the game as you cannot be judged offside from a pass from the opposition.