Question Number: 29351

Law 11 - Offside 4/24/2015

RE: rec Adult

alex of Richmond Hill, Canada asks...

A video clip showing an attacker standing way offside inside the penalty area during a free kick was used to illustrate 'interfering with an opponent by obstructing the keeper's line of vision' during a training session. A question was raise regarding whether the referee should consider whether it is the keeper who deliberately move to a location to put the offside attacker blocking his line of vision?
Here is a hypothetical case: The free kick is at the top of the penalty area. An attacker is standing near a goal post in an offside position. Now the keeper deliberately stand behind the offside attacker at the goal post. The free kick result in scoring an unprotected goal. Should the referee award an offside to the defending team as the offside attacker is blocking the keeper's line of vision?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Alex
Interesting question and probably only one that is likely to happen on paper.
What Law 11 endeavours to do is to penalise the player in an offside position who is clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball.
Now line of vision means from the goalkeeper to the ball and in an artificial situation where the goalkeeper does something totally at odds with normal playing of the game then the referee can decide that it was not preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play and therefore not interfering. The referee has to take into account all the circumstances and perhaps if the GK has moved to get a better view of the ball then perhaps it is interfering
There has been a number of examples of goals ruled out / not ruled out due to line of sight calls.
http://cdn-5.insidespanishfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Iturra-positioned-in-front-of-goalkeeper-Keylor-Navas.jpg
This one was allowed as the referee and AR deemed that the player in an offside position did not interfere. I think that there is sufficient doubt here that the player did in fact interfere and as there was only one intention in the action I would have called the offside.

Here are a few others
https://vimeo.com/103344270
https://vimeo.com/103444579
Both were correctly given as goals
This one was called offside and correctly so.
https://vimeo.com/103347145

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Wow! Great question. This is a very risky move on the keepers part. I would say that if the keeper moves purely to try and get the offside call, then no. If the keeper moves as a normal course of play, then yes. This is very hard to decide as a referee. This all will happen so fast that if at the instant the ball was kicked the referee believed the keepers vision was not blocked...then it would be a good goal. Again we are talking milliseconds making the difference and when in doubt there will be no flag.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Alex a decent paper excercise. In fact I am going to use it in a new you call it! lol
We do NOT judge offside based on what the DEFENDERS do but the actions of the offside player. The determination of offside comes at the moment the ball is LAST touched by the teanm mate. Hence if that position is in front of the keeper then the attacker is blocking his line of sight thus the offside criteria is met. IF AFTER..., while the ball was in flight, the keeper ran over inbehind the offside attacker then offside criteria is not met just a stupid response by the keeper.

In an MLS match a few years back two defenders stood in the goal /penalty area on a free kick from about 30 yds out. It was a lovely free kick which curled into the corner for a nice looking goal. There was no flag on the play ...BUT... a memo was released that signified the two attackers had deliberately decided to place themselves out in front of the goal with the sole purpose of interfering with the keeper. It was a great free kick and although it was ceertainly possible that goal could have scored WITHOUT the two players standing inbetween the keeper and the ball locationon on the restart. The point was that offside criteria WAS met, a FLAG should have been raised!

The LOTG do state it is not an offence to BE in an offside position, but that the offside criteria applies ONLY if the position or actions taken interferes with the opponent or in this case the keeper. My thinking as a player/coach reflects my decision making as a refere KNOWING that I am useless to my team if offside as I can not participate in play. This passive aggressive idea of remaining in what can only be an offside position, wandering aimlessly about the PA during the free kick is not fooling anyone! In my opinion as long as the keeper is in a position behind the offside player in front of the goal before the ball is kicked then the attacker is blocking his view and subject to offside. WHY IS He THERE AT ALL? The Keeper uses the law to achieve a favourable result. If the offside attacker is not in front of goal there will be no reason for a keeper to stand behind him claiming he is in position to make a save. The offside player by standing in front of the goal even off to the side if that is the direction the ball is coming from the keeper can slip in behind him so at the time of the free kick, the attacker is in a position between the keeper and the ball, guilty of blocking his line of sight at the taking of the kick.
The smart offside player would notice the keeper reposition and immediately run away from his position to a less blocking position. Cheers
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 29463