Question Number: 30752

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/12/2016

RE: competitive Under 16

skye dalton of Donnybrook, WA Australia asks...

In an offside position if the ball rebounds off the opposition straight to you are you offside

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

The short answer is 'yes.'

The longer answer is that the Law states that a player is penalised for offside when 'gaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has: rebounded or been deflected off [..] an opponent'

However (and here is where it gets tricky) a player is not penalised for offside if 'receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save by any opponent)'

Sometimes, it can be a difficult judgement call to differentiate between a rebound/deflection/save and a deliberate play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Skye
Referee Grove has quoted the relevant section of Law 11. A rebound / deflection does not reset offside so in your example it is offside when the player in an offside position touches the ball or interferes with an opponent.
If however the ball is deliberately played by a player to an opponent in an offside position then offside does not apply.
In some instances there can be a fine line between a deflection and a deliberate play.