Question Number: 30999

Law 11 - Offside 11/6/2016

RE: competetive Under 17

Richard of Frostburg, MD USA asks...

Just a hypothetical scenario. Player A is on side when her/his teammate kicks the ball. However, player A is very fast and outruns the ball in the air and must come back to get it. Is Player A offside since the player was ahead of the ball and the defender? Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Richard,
Interestingly enough, this issue used to be directly addressed in the Laws of the Game document.

In 1956, Law XI International Board Decision (IBD) 1 was introduced, and which stated:

''1. Off-side shall not be judged at the moment the player in question receives the ball, but at the moment when the ball is passed to him by one of his own side. A player who is not in an off-side position when one of his colleagues passes the ball to him or takes a free-kick, does not therefore become off-side if he goes forward during the flight of the ball.''

Although this wording is no longer in the Laws, the principle it espouses is as true now as it was then.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Richard,

Offside position is only considered at the moment a teammate touches the ball - and to be in an offside position, the attacker must be ahead of the ball and past the 2nd last line of defence (any part of their body except the arms counts).

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Richard,
if a player is legally onside when his teammate last touches/kicks the ball he can go anywhere he wants on the field to get to the ball as he was NOT restricted from involvement. Fast players often get caught out on incorrect offside calls because everyone FORGETS POSITIONS change drastically when the ball is in flight! When I was coaching to drive home a point about offside, I used to line my players on the midline in practise. I then divide them into two teams on either side, next I would punt the ball as far and as high as I could instructing them to run towards the opposition goal to see if they could get there before the ball hit the ground and to stop when the ball hit the ground . Given they ALL started on their side of the field, no matter I was acting as the teammate for both teams they began the journey in an onside position, many made it into the opposition PA and goal area. I said to turn around and look back at the other team standing in the other PA area and reminded them. Be it the 2nd last opponent or attacker moving forward as the other moves in the opposing direction look at the separation between you all before that ball was even playable on the ground. Things change, NEVER EVER stop playing unless you hear a whistle, the flag means nothing.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Richard
Offside position is judged at the exact moment the ball is played by a team mate. Positions in the future after that exact time is not relevant to offside. So if a player is inside at the moment of the touch the player cannot subsequently be called offside. Reverse also applies in that once in an offside position at the moment of the touch a player cannot put himself back inside no matter what he does.