Question Number: 28859

Law 11 - Offside 10/17/2014

RE: Competitive. High School

James of Clovis, CA USA asks...

My assistant and I have a disagreement on weather an offsides should be called or not when a defender plays the ball back to a goalkeeper or another defender and if an offensive player cuts off the pass back when he or she is in an offsides position. I understand there is offsides if it was deflected by the defender, but how about a defender with control of the ball playing it back?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi James,
That type of pass is a mistake.
No offside! (No s on offside, it is "onside" or "offside".)
The ball is last touched by a defending player, it sets up THEIR positional evaluation but RESETS the opponent's positional evaluation from before and FREEING those opponents who were restricted earlier.
Remember it is not an OFFENSE to be offside positioned or to look like you are offside or to have been previously restricted because you were offside up until a NEW phase of play had occurred.

The concept of deflection and rebound are not deliberate acts but involuntary. A deliberate play is a chosen action made with realization and consequence of action. A deliberate play is not NECCCESSARILY a completely controlled outcome where what the player wants to occur, it can be poorly executed !
A mistake is not a deflection!
Please view the interpretive video links below applicable to the changes in offside! The first one is a demonstration/teaching video supplied by FIFA!
The second one is a series of MLS videos of recent offside decisions that highlight current offside thinking

(1) FIFA http://garcia-aranda.com/offsideifab/eng001.html


(2) MLS http://www.proreferees.com/news-offside-videos.php

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi James
When a defender deliberately plays a ball an opponent cannot be offside. On a deflection that is not deliberate so offside will apply. Once the ball is deliberately kicked then there is no offside. That is a mistake by the defender which benefits the attacker who happened to be in an offside position. No offence is possible so it's play on.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is not gaining an advantage to play the ball (regardless of position) when the ball is deliberately played by an opponent. High school rules on this issue are the same as under the laws of the game.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

James.

There is no offside. As indicated in NFHS Rule 11-1-3, a player can only be offside if the ball was last played by a teammate.

I hope that your season is going well.