Question Number: 31723

Law 11 - Offside 8/21/2017

RE: Adult

Bob Gates of Gosport, Hants United Kingdom asks...

Please clear up a query for me.In the last minute of the additional time, in yesterday's Huddersfield v Newcastle match. The referee appeared to give Newcastle a free kick for offside against Mounie, who had apparently, according to the assistant, come back from an offside position.If that was the case, how come the kick was taken from where he made contact (inside his own half) and not where he'd come from.Surely that's not correct

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
It is correct!!
One of the significant changes made to the Laws of the Game in the past 12 months or so is that the offside indirect free kick restart is now taken from where the player interferes with play by touching the ball or interferes with an opponent generally by challenging for the ball. That means that the IDFK is now taken from where the player touches the ball which can now be in his OWN half.
The thinking behind the change is that the overarching principle in the Laws is that free kicks are taken from where the offence takes place. In offside the offence happens when the player touches the ball or interferes with an opponent and it is in that context that the law was changed and the IDFK is now taken in whatever location the offence happens not his offside position. It is not an offence to be in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Bob,
100% correct!

The LOTG underwent some changes recently and now require the INDFK for an offside violation to occur from the location of actual INVOLVEMENT not the POSITIONAL restriction location which occurs earlier somewhere in the opposition half .
Generally the restart location deep inside the opposition half can occur a long way from the actual restart location as trifling on impact but now the fact we can get an INDFK loss of ball possession into range of the oppositions' goal makes it imperative we go the blade of grass route a the restart location.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Bob,
In this instance the free kick was taken from the correct place. As my colleagues have said, the law on this was changed for the 2016-17 edition. Law 11 now states that:

''If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick where the offence occurred, including if it is in the player's own half of the field of play.''

In the FAQ on Law 11, we also find the following:

''Q3: The Law now says that the IDFK for offside can be taken in the player's own half but how can this be correct?
It is correct because:
[...]
a player CAN commit an offside OFFENCE in their own half if they go back into their own half from an offside position''