Question Number: 30198

Law 11 - Offside 3/16/2016

RE: Under 15

Jason of Wylie, TX US asks...

Looking for a little clarification on the AR's positioning during an offside call.
Player A2 is in a offside position at the moment Player A1 plays a ball deep towards a corner, not towards the goal. A2 makes a run for the ball along with a defender but there is no chance of a collision with the goalie.

What does the AR do in this situation?
1. Stand still at the spot where A2 was originally offside and wait to see if he in fact touches the ball first? Then signal offside if they do.
2. Stand still at the spot where A2 was originally offside and signal offside because he is challenging for the ball.
3. Follow the play/ball and signal offside at the point that A2 touches the ball?

I feel that it is #2 if he is challenging for the ball, but what if he's not? Say the ball is kicked to the corner and no defender reacts leaving A2 running there all alone.

Thanks for any help.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jason
We have to look at each situation on its merits. Running with an opponent with the ball elsewhere is not a challenge for the ball yet there can be times when we know that eventually it is not going to be anything else other than a challenge or contact by a lone player in an offside position so it can be called early. There can be times when the ball may go out of play in which case there is no offside.
Now in your example the AR positioning will depend on evaluation of the actual scenario and an assessment of what is most likely to happen, how it will play out. It could result in the AR running with play until the offside offence occurs which is the challenge for the ball or the touch of the ball or it could result in the offside being called early as there is no other possible outcome or it could result in following play to signal for a goal kick, throw in.
Now what should NOT happen is that a heavy collision / possible foul should be allowed between players that results in offside being the call. It is always better to flag for the offside rather than the possible heavy challenge by a defender / coming together on a PIOP that ends up as an IDFK to the defender. Yes some times with the presence of an onside player in the mix we may just gave to wait and see. If it looks like it going to be offside and the most likely outcome then call it reasonably early with the one caveat of not giving the PIOP player the option of stopping a run with some other possible play by an onside player available.
Here is a nice example
https://vimeo.com/106949742.
AR runs for a few yards and she figures out it is not going out for a throw in, there is no onside player likely to get involved so why wait for a challenge, touch of the ball. Nice early flag and no issue or dispute on the offside. Flag too soon and the PIOP could stops her run which might confuse the defenders who might stop playing. Her only error was that the location of the IDFK was some 20+ yards closer to the half way line. When she raised the flag for offside she should have moved 20+ yards back up the FOP to the point of the offside offence.