Question Number: 29773

Law 11 - Offside 10/3/2015

RE: Pro Professional

Eddie of newark, NJ USA asks...

Can you please explain the new offside rule regarding deflection of a defender. Example A1 in a offside position receives the ball from A2 but it was deflected from B1 would you call him off sides. Please let me know where I can get some training with the new offside rules.


Thank You

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Eddie
Law 11 has not changed. What has changed recently is the interpretation of *Interfering with an opponent*. The clarification states that in addition to the situations already outlined in the Laws of the Game, a player in an offside position shall also be penalised if he:
# clearly attempts to play a ball which is close to him when this action impacts on an opponent or
# makes an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball.
So in your example there has been no change as the ball deflecting of an opponent does not reset offside.
As regards training material on updates that is being worked on. There are unofficial sources on the web which are helpful. Some have not been updated as yet but nonetheless give an understanding of the principle
http://www.law-11.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyP92TVWSQ

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Eddie,
the recent rewrite of LAW 11 LOTG Offside had created some interesting conundrums in the minds of many. Then, to help explain these wording changes a circular was produced to define the explanations as additional instructions. There was no change to a deflection, if ITOOTR it is a deflection it DOES NOT reset offside.
A deflection is NOT considered as a deliberate play, a deliberate play by an opponent will RESET offside a ...Deflection... rebound will not reset offside!
It still is ITOOTR if the player's attempt to play the ball was a deliberate action made with intent and knowledge or an instinctive reactionary or unaware occurrence to a fast moving ball where the ball IMPACTS the player rather than the player impacts the ball. What complicated one's understanding was the inclusion of a deliberate save, which is a legal deliberate playing action, preventing a ball from entering the goal! This action can be made by ANY player, including the keeper, and it is VIEWED the SAME as a deflection/rebound as it WILL NOT reset offside. The same action ELSEWHERE on the field might very well reset offside!
The one sticking point was IF the action was not legal, but a deliberately handled ball. Given it was not a legal save, that did not reset offside, it IS most definitely, a deliberate play, otherwise it is not considered as a foul! So IF advantage was applied, could a former PIOP be permitted to play that ball into the goal? So far there is differing thoughts, but in my efforts to define it to, yes it does reset or no it does not reset, by accessing those who make up the FIFA referee committee and the IFAB review committee, my information is ...YES.. a DH (foul of handles the ball deliberately) ...DOES... reset offside as long as the PIOP had NOT already impacted play. This is my opinion as of now and one I am comfortable as passing along as correct in law!
Cheers