Question Number: 29227

Law 11 - Offside 3/5/2015

RE: Any Other

Daniel of Jupiter, FL Florida asks...

ok, so my question is as a linesman you have player A in an offside position a team mate of player A passes it to him, but it ricochets off a defender of the opposite team right to player A.


-is this still offsides because it hit the defender


Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Offside for gaining an advantage occurs when a player in offside position plays the ball after it rebounds or deflects off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent or if the ball rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent.

Note: the difference between a deflection and a deliberate play by the opponent is critical. A player in offside position who receives the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save) MAY play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Daniel,
subtle difference my friend, a linesman is usually considered NON neutral thus limited in how he/she interacts with the match and the referee. Where as an AR is considered as a neutral agent and is entitled to assist the referee in a much broader scope.

In your situation PLAYER A is in an offside position when his team mate last touches the ball.
On the way to PLAYER A, the ball, IMPACTS a defender!
This distinction is CRUCIAL to seeing the 'ricochet' as a deflection, in the player did NOT deliberately play the ball, because there wasn't time or space or awareness to be able to react quickly enough, other than an instinctive flinch of sorts, which could not be construed as a deliberate play.

If it IS a deflection, then Player A will be judged offside, as the impact of the ball against an opponent is NOT considered a deliberate play .

Similar to judging whether a ball is deliberately handled. Unless the handling action is clearly, in the opinion of the referee, done deliberately, it cannot be a foul.
When determining offside criteria, if it is NOT deliberately played by a defender ,then offside criteria is not lifted for the attackers.
If in the opinion of the referee, the defender, deliberately plays the ball, trying to kick it or head it away, EVEN if he miskicks or flubs it, then offside restrictions are lifted for the attackers. An offside positioned attacking player could play the ball with impunity.

The term ricochet, implies deflection, but each situation is judged on its own merits. In a recent match, the ball was forcibly kicked towards goal. A defender, trying to cover an attacker, who was off to his left, was running with legs pumping. The ball ricochets off the defender's knee rolling over to the corner where it hits the corner flag and stays inbounds. At the time of the kick at goal, there was an offside positioned attacker wide out, when he went to recover the ball, he was flagged for the offside offence. He argued the defender had deliberately played the ball! The referee explained the defender was not aware of the ball flight, he was covering ground to get to the open onside player. The ball impacted his knee on the way to the goal. The ball was NOT deliberately played, in essence the ball hit the player! Thus a deflection, thus offside applied!

In a different match, similar circumstances, the defender covering an onside attacker moved in front and cleared the ball off his shin, by deliberately challenging and sticking his leg in front of the attacker. The ball was redirected to an offside opponent, who subsequently scored. The defenders complained he was offside. The referee shrugs acknowledgment but points out the defender deliberately played the ball! The defender saw the ball, had time and space to consider how to play the ball, in essence, he deliberately hit the ball with his shin, which resets the attackers' offside restriction and play continued. Restart kick off!

My colleague REF Wickham, sagely points out a devious play on words within the offside explanation on advantage whereby a deliberate save does not reset offside. In my opinion the LOTG have failed to explain this clearly.
FIFA Quote“
gaining an advantage by being in that position” means playing a ball i. that rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position ii. that rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent having been in an offside position
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent, who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save), is not considered to have gained an advantage' End Quote

If, in the opinion of the referee, When the ball is deliberately played while a player/keeper is involved in making a SAVE we are to consider it in the same manner as a deflection or rebound and hold the offside attackers accountable .

A KEY component in understanding the aberrations of offside is a deliberate play is no longer considered as only a controlled possession. A misdirected miskick is a mistake, to which the opposition will undoubtedly be grateful for. In my humble opinion, too many referees are clinging on to the past in thinking a miskick is a deflection when it is NOT! What it is, is a mistake and we do not, or should not, reward mistakes!

What is difficult for me, to explain to another referee, is what is a save? I believe it cannot apply solely to a ball that would enter the goal if it was not blocked from doing so! Simply because balls will be directed at goal going high or wide or across the face of goal by the narrowest of margins as much as they will by a wide margin.

It is a given the keepers' main duty is to stop the ball from entering the goal, but so too, any of the other 10 players, will gladly clear a ball off their own goal line.

I tend to think (at times far too much sigh) lol but seriously I am more willing to cut the keeper slack as to a deliberate save not being a direct shot on goal than a player. For me the player pretty much is in behind the keeper, clearing the ball off the goal line, to be considered a deliberate save having NOT reset offside for the attackers but judge it the same as a deflection/rebound. Now a keeper CAN use his hands and while he can deliberately play the ball using his hands to make a save there will be incidents where a keeper deliberately plays the ball using the hands in NON SAVE situations.

However, perhaps my standard is too high or understanding too low? Just remember each referee will make an informed neutral decision based on their current level of understanding the LOTG within their own practical application of experience.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Daniel
A ball that deflects or rebounds off an opponent or from a save does not reset offside.
From your example with the use of the word ricochets suggests a deflection which is not a reset and offside will be called when Player A interferes with play or an opponent.
Where an opponent deliberately plays the ball then that is a reset. Now there can be times where a player deliberately plays the ball and it may look like a deflection. Those are reasonably rare and it is left to the judgement of the assistant referee to make the call whether it was a deliberate play or not.
Have a look at this video and decide if the touch by Red was a deflection or a deliberate play that went astray?
http://garcia-aranda.com/offsideifab/eng004video007.html
FIFA has opined that it was deflected which means that the Blue player was called offside.
Note that Blue accepted the offside call and play restarted with an IDFK to Red.
That example I suggest covers your question