Question Number: 29114

Law 11 - Offside 1/19/2015

RE: Adult

azhar of rawalakot, AJ&K Pakistan asks...

If a player from an offside position play the ball in an onside position what should be called onside or offside?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Azhar,
it is difficult to know exactly what you mean?
An offside restricted player cannot return to what LOOKS like an onside position to play the ball. If he WAS a ROSP(restricted offside player ) NOTHING he does on his own will reset offside.
Read the offside interpretation on the front right of the main page it might help clarify some of your uncertainty.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Azhar,

If a player is in an offside position, then he cannot put himself back 'onside' after the ball is kicked.

Because offside is 'reset' every time an attacker touches the ball, the player won't be able to become involved in play until he is back in an onside position and another (onside) attacker touches the ball, or the defence gains control of the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Azhar
Offside should be called and the indirect free kick taken from where the player was located in an offside position when the ball was played. It makes no difference if the ball is played in an onside position as there is nothing that a player can do to put himself back onside once he was in an offside position when the ball was played. He must wait for the ball to go out of play or be touched by a player in an onside position or the opponents gain unrestricted control / possession of the ball to participate in play again.