Question Number: 21107

Law 11 - Offside 4/9/2009

RE: Professional

Kidane of Asmara , Eritrea Eritrea asks...

Law 11
There is no offside offence if a player receive the ball DIRECTLY from:
1 goal kick
2. throw in
3. corner.
My question is what about if the player receive the ball INDIRECTLY( WHICH DEFECTED BY A DEFENCE)FROM THE THREE POINTS STATED ABOVE.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It depends what team the defender is on. Let's talk throw-in just to keep things neat; the same principle applies to goal kicks and corner kicks.

A player on the same team as the thrower is in an offside position at the time the throw is made.

If the ball goes directly to her, there is no offside offense because of the exemption in Law 11.

If the ball deflects off an opponent on the way to her, there is still no offense. Why? Because the deflection does not reset offside. And if it was a deliberate play by the opponent, not a deflection, we wouldn't be worried about offside at all because the ball didn't come from a teammate.

If the ball deflects off a teammate of the thrower on the way to the offside positioned teammate, we do have an offside call to be made.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

If there as an exemption from offside on the throw in the exemption remains if the ball is touched first by the opposition, be it deliberate or accidental!
On an exemption from offside on the corner kick, goal kick and throw in, once the ball is in play upon the next contact of the ball by a player a new phase of offside play is reset for that player's team mates only! The opposition is STILL exempt from offside as a deflection/touch of the ball by an opponent changes NOTHING with reguards to offside for the other team.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Offside positions are evaluated when the attack touches the ball. So who is the player that makes up the indirectly, attack or defence?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

When Law 11 was written it was understood that directly meant the ball did not touch another teammate. There are a lot of things in the LOTG that FIFA and IFAB assume everyone knows. All too often, not everyone knows. The reason they don't specify teammate is that it is immaterial if the ball deflects off an opponent as a deflection off an opponent does not reset offside. That can only be done if the ball is controlled by an opponent, (or the ball goes out of play, or the ball touches a teammate). Thanks for the question.