Question Number: 32141

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/5/2018

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 32139

Panelists thought the AR should have been closer to the centre line and not away from play, watching the injured player behind the goal line.

However, the AR is supposed to keep in line with the the second-last defender, when the ball is up-field. Could he possibly have been counting the off-field defender as D1 and the goal keeper as D2? That would be the practice, if the second-last defender had stepped/slid over the end line during active play. No?

In a temporary injury instance, where the ref has allowed a player to step off (and not come back on until waved back on)¦ I imagine the AR should put that player out of his calculations for second-last defender. Correct?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
In active play with momentum then the player off the FOP us calculated into the iffside equation. In the case of an injury the AR must take it that the injured player off the field of play with permission need not be factored into the calculation. So in the question the assumption was made that the AR, with play at the other end of the field, would be at the half way line probably with the second last defender not hanging back with an injured player and goalkeeper.
In the unlikely situation where the injured player suddenly returns without permission the AR has to be alert to that with the referee likely to play advantage as the returning player then plays everyone onside. If play was stopped for an 'offside' with no advantage played then the attacking team would certainly get either the DFK for interfering or an IDFK if there was none. That would go someway to appease the attacking team if they were stopped in the attack for offside.
An AR needs to focus on play rather than on an injured player off the FOP.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Barry,
you are spot on.
The injured player is OFF the field with permission, thus he is NO longer part of the offside equation as he must enter from the touchlines with permission from the referee during play or at a stoppage. This is different than a brief step out due to momentum!
Cheers