Question Number: 30191

Law 11 - Offside 3/13/2016

RE: Competitive

Mathew of Columbus, Ohio United States of America asks...

I found it easier to make a picture than trying to explain this through text.

http://i.imgur.com/6yJm8w4.png

Basically, are you guilty of an offside offense if you steal a ball from the defense when you are in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Matthew
Thanks for the picture which is helpful. The answer depends on the timing in your scenario. If D1 has enough unfettered time on the ball without immediate pressure / challenge from A2, the player in an offside position, then offside consideration has passed. If however D1 is challenged instantly the moment he intercepts the ball by A2 then it is offside. In the grey area between the two it is a judgement opinion based on the circumstances.
Sometimes if D1 moves off with the ball with questionable challenge / pressure from A2 the referee may simply ignore any possible offside consideration as trifling and having no impact on play particularly if D1 moves off with the ball into space and begins a promising attack. Another referee may see close movement towards D1 as offside due to their lower tolerance level of what constitutes a challenge and / or the high likelihood of contact between the players. Case in point is the PIOP rushing towards the goalkeeper. If the GK gets to the ball well before the PIOP then no offside whereas when it gets tighter the offside can and should be called.
In your example I cannot see offside here as D1 will have had possession of the ball unchallenged by A2 so any offside consideration has passed.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Matthew,
based on the picture NO offside!
A2 is NOT challenging D1 until AFTER D1 has ball possession!
Cheers