Question Number: 29533

Law 11 - Offside 7/13/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29530

This is a Follow Up Question to Q# 29530.

This has been a fascinating discussion. Now I have a very similar twist on this question. Long ball kicked & 2 attackers run after it. A1 was in an offside position & about 4 yards in front of A2, who was not offside. In this case, the AR wouldn't raise a flag because the onside player might get it. GK starts to come outside the penalty area, but backs up as A1 will likely get to the ball at about the same time. (Under the old rules, you might consider A2 as distracting, but that's beside the point.)

On the one hand, you might keep the flag down to see if A2 will get the ball, especially if A2 is running faster than A1. On the other, you might consider A1 as challenging for the ball (as referee Dawson has mentioned, the playing distance is much greater when 2 players are running toward each other). Also, since we can't read minds, it's difficult to determine WHY the GK backed up. Was it a GK mistake (even though a flag isn't up) or responding to a challenge?

What should the AR do at the point that the GK starts to back up? What should the CR do?

Thanks again for all the discussion.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
Referees are not mind readers so we have to with what is presented. The goalkeeper has backed up for whatever reason so there is no challenge nor possibility of a collision and as a result no offside flag until the player in an offside position touches the ball. Perhaps an astute goalkeeper might even back off due to the possibility of offside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
. It is a...REQUIREMENT...of an official to use good judgement on any decision, offside included.. While we encourage wait and see and recommend when in doubt do not wave it about mentalities, something's are a simple matter of judgement. What to do you ask? Whatever is best for the match by way of whatever means the LOTG allow you to do so!

An early flag for the pursuit is out of the question ...IF...the PIOP is ...NOT ...the ...ONLY... player in pursuit and it is NOT 100% that he will play that ball before it could go out of play or another teammate might do so or a defender could be challenged ..

IF the AR or CR realizes there is ANOTHER offensive player in pursuit of the ball along with the PIOP and they see the keeper in a possible collision situation but then observe the keeper has decided he no longer will challenge. We are back to that often used acronym, ITOOTR.
Given there is now ...OTHER POSSIBLE OUTCOMES... we will likely wait for a physical touch of the ball by the PIOP.

How far a PIOP will be permitted to run after the ball prior to a touch if he was the...ONLY ... player is a guess! He might get a team mate to holler or even come to realize on his own, he is offside and pull up on his own before a touch or challenge, or before a defender chooses to deliberately play the ball, forcing the AR or CR to revaluate the need to flag or stop play

Cheers