Question Number: 29354

Law 11 - Offside 4/25/2015

RE: rep Under 15

Anthony of stoney creek, Ontario Canada asks...

Team A, Player is in an offside position. Another player on Team A passes the ball up to his teammate who is offside however the pass isn't perfect and it deflects off of a Team B player's foot. Since the ball last touched a TEam B player before it went to the Team A player in the offside position , is Team player considered offside ? or did the offside reset because it touched a Team B player?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Anthony
The answer depends on whether the contact by B Player was a deliberate play or a deflection. You have used the word deflection so offside is not reset.
If it was a deliberate play that went astray then offside is reset and play continues.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Anthony,
You use the term DEFLECTION to describe the ball contacting the player this is different than a DELIBERATELY played ball in which the player contacts the ball. The fact is we do not reward a mistake or a poor effort with the offside as a condolence package for feeling sorry. We look at the circumstances and decde if there was adequate time and space for a deliberate reaction to play the ball or an instinctive flinch or flail as the ball is hiiting the player. The first is a GIFT and the offside positioned player is freed to continue play. On the second the instinctive flail, the offside criteria is NOT reset, the offside is called INDFK out!!
Cheers