Question Number: 30320

League Specific 4/18/2016

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

I have 2 offside questions, please:

1. Under the LOTG, 2015-2016 (& also the later rules), it says that "interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponents line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball.

Suppose the PIOP is between a defender & his own attacker. The attacker kicks the ball in the direction of the PIOP, who doesn't move. However, his body is blocking the defender who is behind him (not blocking sight). As a result, the defender is not able to get to the ball before another onside attacker. Has the PIOP interferred with an opponent? I mean he has literally, but not by challenging or blocking a line of sight.

2. Suppose the PIOP takes one step in the direction of the ball, then stops, realizing he's offside, but his body is still blocking a direct line that the defender tries to go. Offside? Would the single step be considered challenging for the ball?

Thanks in advance.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
In the 2nd scenario it is offside while on the first one it is more questionable.
It is covered under the following statement which appears in the new law book and the statement clearly outlines the principle that would justify offside.
*making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball *
My view always on offside is that when a PIOP interferes with an opponent or impacts on play in some fashion that is offside.
A referee could determine that these actions are also impeding an opponent which is a foul in its own right. The first instance given that there is no movement will be less viable and one can argue that he is entitled to his position on the FOP although players rarely dont just stand there. Even if he does he may be in my opinion deliberately placing himself unfairly in a position to interfere with an opponent. It is akin to the placing of a player close to the GK at a corner kick. You call it when the GK tries to go around the player but is restricted by unfair movement of the forward.
I recall a goal scored by France V Ireland . An attacker placed himself in an offside position and by doing so prevented the ball winning central defender from retreating to win a header in the air. That should have been called offside IMO even though he did not interfere with line of sight nor did he touch the ball. He did move with the defender which was an obvious action to interfere and he used his offside position to do so.
Your question also raises the increasing tactic of blocking off runs at corners, free kicks etc. The modern game is now looking for ways to create space and to get away from markers. One such ploy is an attacker blocking off a defender as he runs alongside his attacking team mate. Some are very difficult to detect. It is called screening or a pick in basketball. Now the tactic is not illegal provided the screening player does not move into the path of the opponent as the laws allow a player to maintain his position on the FOP.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Phil,

An attacker does not have to 'do' anything to be penalised for offside. As an example, if an attacker was lying on the ground with a minor injury and play continued so that he was left in an offside position, and a teammate kicked the ball and it struck him, he would be penalised.

So it follows that the same principle that he doesn't have to 'do' anything applies for 'interfering with an opponent' as well.

At a stretch, you could make the argument that if he's in an opponent's way then at some point he's blocked his view of the ball! I'd be happy to see a free kick here if you think there's been an impact on play.

The second is probably a clearer fit within the laws - although given he has now stepped across into the path of an opponent (and done that after the ball was played, so clearly moved to block the path), it also fits 'impeding the progress of an opponent'.