Question Number: 27140

Mechanics 1/27/2013

RE: all levels Other

Mike of Lebanon, Ct USA asks...

I just attended a clinic for intermediate refs held by our state association. It was run by several of the refs at the state level who are at minimum Grade 4 and up.
The topic was offside and the video that was used was this one: http://www.ussoccer.com/media-library/Videos/Referees/Laws-of-the-Game/Law-11/Laws-of-the-Game--Interfering-With-an-Opponent---Law-11.aspx

in which an initial attacker in offside position attempts to play the passed ball, misses and then it goes to a teamate who was not in an offside position who then scores. The controversy came up as to the AR's proper response. 99% of us Grade 8's said the AR should have raised the flag for the first attacker attempting to play the ball (interfering with play) and the goal disallowed. The intructors said that AR should NOT raise flag but stand still to indicate no goal as the goal was not scored by the offside player, but to indicate there was an offside infraction. They also said a raised flag does not indicate offside,but just that the AR determines play is stopped. (BTW I came home and looked all through Laws of the Game and Interpretations and could find nothing to indicate that a raised flag meant anything but offside) I said does it really matter as in both cases the goal is disallowed, and isn't it putting a too fine a point on it? If I was the AR I would be in process of raising my flag for the first attacker as the goal was being scored. After a lot of back and forth, the instructors convinced most that they were right within the fine points of the law, but it seems to be splitting hairs in actual practice. Thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Looking at that video, I agree that the player's actions interfered with an opponent, specifically the goalkeeper.

The mechanics are what is in question. In Guide to Procedures, USSF has stated that if the shooter is offside, the AR raises the flag. But for any other player, the AR stands at attention. This is in the section under disallowing a goal, not offside.

The thinking may be that if the ref sees the AR's flag for offside, he might wave it down if he could clearly see that the scorer was not in an offside position. Or, if they need to talk about the play, the ref could decide that the offside-positioned player was not involved in play and the goal stands - that's much harder to do if the flag is in the air.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
There are two signals that assistant referee make with the flag and they are for offside and for foul play. One is a raised flag held above the head and the other is a flutter of the flag followed by the direction of the free kick.
Now in the example shown on the video I cannot see any other signal here by the AR other than to raise the flag for offside. The Referee will expect such a flag and if the AR simply stood there after the goal is scored there is a danger that the referee may miss that and if he hasn't then the players are unsure why the goal has been disallowed.
The finer point of the Law is that only the referees stops play and the flag is an indication to the referee. In the situation where the AR is unsure of offside then by all means keep the flag down and then don't move which alerts the referee that there may be some infraction. The referee can decide then based on what he has seen either to make the call / no call or to converse with the AR as to what has happened.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Ref McHugh gives the correct International response. But you are a USSF referee and should abide by what is put out as official policy by the USSF. If the scorer was offside, raise the flag. If another player scored but a teammate had committed an offside offense before the goal, you stand still at attention.

The signal for the AR that a legal goal HAS been scored is to lower the flag and run 10 meters or so down the touchline toward the center line. This signal is universal so even if the AR was in Europe, the referee should know something was amiss when he noticed the AR NOT running up the touchline.