Question Number: 31159

Law 5 - The Referee 1/6/2017

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31154

For what it is worth, Mark of San Rafael asked about CR signals for offside and this made me think about what we do down here in our local park footy leagues.

When we have an AR running the line and signalling the offside, we only need (as the panel team mention) to signal the raised arm for an IDFK restart, and add in any verbal clarification.

However, without an AR, it is not uncommon (but not required) in our local 'park' footy to use a sweeping arm like gesture that points from one side of the field to the other and back, as a way of visually indicating the attacking team player was 'past the line' across the field that represents the offside line.

I don't believe this to be an advised or recommended practice by our local referee association, however, nor for that matter one that they discourage.

If you are familiar with the sport of cricket, it is a bit like the umpire indicating 'four runs' (however, imagine indicating only two runs).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
The advice is to stick to the signals as outlined in the Laws and one will not go too far wrong. Players soon get the message what the call is. In addition it is probably likely that the PIOP is complaining about the call which is usually met with an explanation of offside. I have rarely if ever seen an offside call that was not understood as that.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
I would have to say I found when doing games without AR's that the context of the incident, along with indicating for an indirect free kick is usually sufficient indication of offside. There are relatively few other IFK offences anyway so if a forward is in a potential offside position, assuming there was no sign of PIADM or impeding and an IFK is given, it can pretty much only be for offside. That, plus the fact that whenever there is even a chance of offside, there'll almost always be at least one defender and/or team representative appealing for it, not to mention supporters and it's usually fairly obvious what the decision was.

I can't say I ever felt there was any much need to give a particular signal for offside and as Ref McHugh says, it's probably just as well to stick with the recommended signals anyway.