Question Number: 25927

Law 11 - Offside 1/26/2012

RE: Select and High School High School

John of Pensacola, FL USA asks...

Had a play in a recent High School playoff game where I don't understand the lack of an offside call made by the referee. The opposing team had a striker about a yard behind three of our defensive players (in an offside position). One of the players from the other team played the ball through, past our three players and the striker. The striker clearly made no initial play on the ball and moved quickly to an onside position, then returned back to get the ball. Our three players moved back toward the ball. One of our players made a move toward the ball, but the ball was taken by the same sriker before we could touch it. He then took it to the goal for a one on one with our keeper. Off side was not called. From my vantage, the striker was in an offisde position when the ball was passed. He then made a play for the ball before anyone else touched it. It shouldn't matter that he moved to an onside position, or that one of our players made a move to play the ball. The referee would not explain his call, therefore I do not know his rationale for the no-call. I appreciate any insight you can provide. Thanks, john.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

A player cannot put himself back onside. If he is in an offside position, then the only thing that can save him is if a teammate touches the ball again (offside position is reconsidered at each attacking touch), or if the defensive team gains control of the ball (and not immediately pressured/challenged by the offside player).

By your description, offside should have been called. However, bear in mind that it's virtually impossible to accurately spot offside infringements from the technical area - the angle and distance simply makes it a terrible position to try and spot infringements which can only be accurately called when directly in line.

Without a neutral assistant referee, these decisions are also extremely difficult to make for a referee.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
There can be many reasons why the call was not made and any insight given is on the basis of what is written in your assessment. Always remember that a referee has a different angle of view and assessment of a play.
One of the tenets of offside is that a player cannot put himself back onside from a play. That player must wait for the ball to go out of play, for a team mate to play the ball and commence another phase of play or the defence gains control/possession of the ball.
From your description the key to me is that a lot happened between the player moving to an onside position, defenders moving back to the ball and then the player in an offside position getting in a position to touch the ball first. Without seeing that and as written, with none of the conditions met to place a player onside again, offside should have been called.
However I fail to understand how a player in an offside position who leaves the ball, moves to an onside position behind defenders who by now must be closer to the ball and the PIOP gets to play the ball first away from a defender? I would suspect what happened here is that either the referee did not see the original offside position due to his angle of view or he deemed that that there was no 'offside' call to be made with the movement of the player not seen as anything to do with offside or the original offside situation was 'reset' given how the play developed with perhaps poor defending the cause of 'losing' the ball rather than the benefit gained by being in an offside position or the referee was just not sure of the offside infraction in the 1st place giving the benefit based on the fact that the player should not have benefited from his original position.
As I said it is offside as written yet as you have no doubt seen even at the highest level is that officials do get offside calls incorrect. I can easily envisage a situation where this scenario can go many ways which is something that good defending deals with.
As regards not explaining a call that is a matter for the referee. I have on many occasions tried to explain a call and I regretted doing so afterwards as the person did not want to hear my opinion. Usually the person only wants to give their opinion and is dismissive of the referee's. Also during and after games can be full of emotion which can result in an unpleasant scenario developing which can result in misconduct. The referee has to make a decision based on the circumstances as to whether he should engage in debate or not.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

As you describe it, the player in offside position (PIOP) was not eligible to play the ball.

A PIOP cannot do anything by himself to become "onside" (such as running to a different location). She cannot play the ball or interfere with a defender until: (1) the defense gains possession and control of the ball; (2) the ball goes out of play; or (3) the PIOP is in an onside position the next time a teammate touches the ball.

We cannot tell if the referee why the referee allowed the goal. Referees are taught that if there is doubt whether the player was originally in an offside position or if the defender(s) later had possession and control of the ball, that the doubt should be resolved in favor of 'not offside.'