Question Number: 34154

Law 11 - Offside 3/11/2021

RE: Rec Adult

russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

Another odd question.

What is the rationale (or history) behind there being no offside at a throw-in or a goal kick.

Understand why not at a corner kick - generally the ball would be kicked level or backwards (of course not technically always if the ball is positioned at the top of the quadrant).

BTW - I once witness a ref request a corner be retaken when the kicker, kicked it directly straight into the side netting.

When I asked why the retake - they said "the ball had not gone into play" (even though the ball had been confirmed as positioned legally at the time of the kick).

That was a contributing factor in myself becoming a ref.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Russell,

You can imagine how crowding along the goal line or right beside the corner flag itself could create an issue with offside. Perhaps given the ball last touched by the defenders created no offside then it was just easy to attribute the opposite of the corner kick, the goal kick the same privilege?

The fact is that the ball goes out of play into touch on all 3 no offside restarts. Unlike a foul or misconduct where a free kick is awarded on the FOP for actions undertaken by the players on or off the FOP? Interesting that the PK while no offside exempt perse has within the law 14 a rather hazy designation that no player can be closer than 12 yards to the goal line except the opposing keeper who must have 1 foot on it under the crossbar between the posts or be inside the PA except the PK kicker.

True enough my young friend that failure to understand basic concepts of officiating often creates irritation be it a referee thinking a player or coach is being obtuse or watching a referee put on a display where the reputation aspect of his career is taking a hit! Thinking I can do better or they could do better are both reasons to get in or get out! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
At one time throw ins had to be thrown in square to the touchline like the current rugby throw so it was not possible to be offside to play the ball.
At a corner kick the players are level or behind the ball so to the naked eye it would not be possible to determine offside
In 1883, when the Football Association drafted the first version of the Laws of The Game, it stated that no forward passes were allowed at all unless the ball was hit from behind the goal line. So players were allowed in front of the ball on a goal kick and not be offside.
So over the years of the many Law changes some of the *old* Laws were retained and refined. So when it was *accepted* and part of the way the game was played I suspect that it was decided not to change what was not broken. If players for many years understood that there was no offside from a goal kick then that was continued to be part of the offside law.
It is now part of the modern Laws that any ball out of play over a touchline or goal line then offside does not apply.