Question Number: 23340

Law 11 - Offside 5/19/2010

RE: Select Under 11

Mike Slattery of Columbus , OH USA asks...

Question about how to call being active in an offside position. Offensive player A brings ball into area on near side, say, and goalie shifts to cover his near post. Offensive player B (in clear offside position) is within 6 yard box at far post, certainly wishing to be in goalie's peripheral vision, if not face, but not active per se. But player B does distract the goalie doesn't he? And may even drastically alter how the goalie deals with advance of player A. I've heard that the ref must rely on facts, as it were, and that might mean disregarding player B because of perceived inactivity.

So my question is, at what point (if ever?) does player B (being at goalie's hip at far post) constitute enough 'activity' (read: distraction) to force an offside call? Without, of course, being passed the ball.

thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

'Active' and 'passive' can be misleading terms.

FIFA defines three ways that a player in offside position infringes law 11: interfering with play: which means touching the ball; interfering with an opponent: which means hindering an opponent's ability to see or play the ball; and gaining an advantage: which touching the ball after it deflects off an opponent or rebounds off the goal.

Simply being in an offside position is not enough. Keepers are trained to focus on the ball, and being within their peripheral vision is not enough. It does not hinder their ability to see or play the ball.

The player is offside position must do something: this includes movement or gestures that the referee observes has an effect on the keeper. Moreover, the closer the player is to the opponent, the more likely the referee will judge anything the player does has hindered the opponent's ability to see or play the ball. But offside position alone is not enough.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
This situation depends on the situation as it happens and as it develops. Being in an offside position is not an offense and clearly Player A because he has brought the ball into the area is entitled to continue to play either through a shot or a pass to a player in an onside position. Player B can only be judged offside if he interferes with play by touching the ball that is passed to him or interferes with an opponent. In this case Player b would have to impede the line of sight (No) or prevents the GK playing the ball (No) or making movements which distracts the GK (No). So as Player B has not met any of the offside criteria other than his position there is no offence.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The definitions in the Laws for offside include
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"interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent
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Advice to Referees adds
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However, if in the process of playing the ball an attacker in an offside position makes a gesture or movement which deceives or distracts an opponent, then the offside offense must be called immediately, even if there is no touch on the ball. Note that in this situation the basis for judging offside would be 'interfering with an opponent' rather than 'interfering with play.' Mere presence in the general proximity of an opponent should not be considered a distraction for that opponent.
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Notice that last sentence. No offside by distraction for just being there; the opponent has to DO something.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If offside is causing you trouble the first thing to do is stop using the terms active and passive offside as they are meaningless but confusing. Now consider the following:

1. A player should NEVER be penalized for an offside offense simply because he is in an offside position.
2. A player should NEVER be penalized for an offside offense simply because he is in the area of active play. The player must actually do something be it interfere with play, interfere with an opponent or gain an advantage by being in an offside position when the ball is played by a teammate.
3. The only possibility for an offside offense in your question would be interfering with an opponent which is defined as blocking the line of sight of an opponent (usually the keeper) which prevents or impairs an opponent's ability to play the ball or by doing something such as make a gesture or movement that distracts or deceives an opponent.

The player in offside position in your question did nothing so no offside offense. How close before he distracts the keeper?, Mere presence should not dictate an offside offense. Although the closer the offside positioned payer is to the keeper the more likely a referee will decide anything he does as interfering with an opponent

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 29972