Question Number: 23834

Law 11 - Offside 8/25/2010

RE: Adult

Mark of N. Plainfield, NJ USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23803

What would be the proper protocol in this situation? An offensive player is returning from an offside position in the opponents half when a ball is played, but does not become active until he has played a ball in his own half.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Mark. Did you ask this a few months back. Doesn't matter, just curious. Regardless, Law 11 is 100% crystal clear on this. People having difficulties understanding Law 11 are not making a clear distinction between offside POSITION and an offside OFFENSE.


The first sentence in Law 11 is:

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.

Very important point as it sets the stage for the rest of Law 11. An offside offense involves position and PARTICIPATION. First a player has to be in an offside position when the ball was played by a teammate, and then he must become actively involved in play which is done by Interferring with an opponent, Interfering with Play, or by Gaining An Advantage From Being In An Offside Position. The last is limited to a few very specific conditions.

Really quite simple. If one is in an offside position when the ball is touched or played by one of his team, he may not participate in play until offside resets. I should also point out that if a player in offside position doesn't move but blocks the keeper's line of sight or an opponent's ability to get to the ball, he will be guilty of interfering with an opponent. He didn't move, but he did participate. Conversely, an offside positioned player may move all he wants but as long as he's not interfering with play or an opponent, no offense.

The following for some reason confuses people. Also from Law 11;

A player is not in an offside position if:
? he is in his own half of the field of play or
? he is level with the second-last opponent or
? he is level with the last two opponents

Please note that this refers to offside POSITION. In your example the player when he collected the ball was in his own half of the field and no longer in offside position, but it doesn't matter. Remember, position is only important at the moment the ball is played by a teammate. Consequently, a player in offside position when the ball is played by his teammate may not play the ball or become involved in play in any manner, no matter what his position is at that time, unless offside has reset. Also, a player may not put himself onside.

Conversely, a player onside when his teammate plays the ball may legally play the ball anywhere on the field. This is why you will see an attacker collect the ball 20 yards past the next to last defender and no flag even though all the opponents are running around like fools with their hands in the air and all their fans and coaches are screaming "Offsides"(No, there's no "s" at the end of offside but this has never prevented people from putting one there)

Long way to answer what was a simple question from you, sorry.

Proper protocol? As soon as this player touches the ball, the AR should raise his flag indicating an offside offense has occurred. After the referee stops play, the AR should go to the point THE PLAYER WAS WHEN THE BALL WAS PLAYED BY HIS TEAMMATE and indicate with his flag where the indirect free kick will be awarded.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
Referee Contarino has given you the detailed answer.
The player in an offside position is penalised for offside when he 'inteferes with play' and it is irrelevant where that happens. The offside position is where the player was when the ball was played / touched by a team mate and when the player meets the rest of the offside criteria the IDFK is taken from the original offside position in this case in the opponent's half not where he 'interferes with play'
If the player did not intefere with play there would be no offside infraction as being in an offside position alone is not an offence.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Once a player is in an offside position when a teammate plays/touches the ball, she may not become involved in play until either
(1) She is no longer in an offside position when a teammate again plays/touches the ball
or
(2) The opponents control (not just deflect) the ball.

All referees must know this.

So in your situation, offside is called when the player becomes involved in play by touching the ball. It doesn't matter that the touch is in his own half; he was restricted from play because of his original offside position.

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

See Question: 23846