Question Number: 30874

Law 11 - Offside 10/8/2016

RE: Rec Under 14

Jeff Kunz of Oakland, NJ USA asks...

Our player was in an offside position, ran back to her side of midfield and touched the ball. Offsides was called because she was offsides when the pass took place. The ball was placed where she was standing when the pass was made and given to the other team. I didn't think it was possible to be offside when the ball didn't leave defensive end. What am I missing?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jeff
It makes no difference where the ball was played by the player in an offside position which can include the players own half. The PIOP is penalised when she interferes with play or an opponent no matter where that happens.
The new Law update requires that the IDFK is taken from where the ball was played which now can include the players own half. In the past the IDFK was taken from the position of the PIOP at the moment the ball was played by a team mate. Not any longer so the IDFK here should have been taken from where the PIOP touched the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Jeff,
The laws are concerned if whether a player in an offside position at the moment the ball is touched by a teammate then becomes involved in active play by meeting certain criteria. They don't have to remain in that offside position to become involved in active play.

The mantra of 'cannot be offside in your own half' really means that you cannot be in an offside position in your own half (bear in mind though, that if you're on the line and even leaning into the other half with your head/shoulders, that's still enough to put you offside!) - it has nothing to do with what you do after you're in an offside position.

So really, this isn't all that different to an attacker in an offside position who has a pass sent to them, and has the defenders run past them by the time they reach the ball. They may be in an onside position by the time they become involved - but we're just concerned with the position at the moment the ball is touched by a teammate and whether they get involved. Where they get involved is irrelevant.

Under the old laws, the FK would still be taken in that player's attacking half. Now it's where they become involved in active play.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jeff,
offside is a criteria based offence
FIRST part requires a player to be in an offside position (OPP) when a team mate last touches the ball.
The SECOND part is WHEN the OPP actually gets INVOLVED by their action. If your player was OFFSIDE POSITIONED at the last team mate touch of the ball she CAN NOT be saved by returning into her own half because NOTHING an OPP can do on their own can alter their restricted status. When she interferes and becomes involved with play, given no one else has played the ball since she was placed in the offside position the criteria is met and an INDFK for offside is awarded at the POINT of WHERE she actually got involved that being on her own side of the field.
The OLD version of the LOTG would have placed the restart to where she was in the defensive half at the moment before her team mate last touched the ball.
Cheers