Question Number: 30560

Law 11 - Offside 7/3/2016

RE: Under 14

Filippo of Palermo, Italy asks...

The new text of Law 11 reads:

'An attacking player may step or stay off the field of play not to be involved in active play. If the player re-enters from the goal line and becomes involved in play before the next stoppage in play, OR THE DEFENDING TEAM HAS PLAYED THE BALL towards the halfway line AND IT IS OUTSIDE THEIR PENALTY AREA, the player shall be considered to be positioned on the goal line for the purposes of offside.'

Does it mean that the attacking player shall be considered to be positioned on the goal line for the purposes of Law 11 if he returns on the field of play before the defending team has played the ball and it is outside their penalty area? Or that the player shall be considered to be on the goal line (for the purposes of offside) when the defending team has done that, regardless of whether he had actually re-entered the field of play or not?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Filippo
The advice refers to the position of the attacking player. The section before refers to defending players in a similar manner.
In the defenders case it was seen as unfair that an injured defending player off the field ‘plays everyone onside’ until play stops. The new wording defines the end of the phase of play when the defender is no longer considered to be on the field for the purposes of offside.
In the case of attackers the player off the field of play the player is considered to be on the goal line for the purpose of determining offside should he return to the field of play to participate in an attack. It simply bring clarity to what we already have.

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See Question: 30590