Question Number: 34905

Law 11 - Offside 3/7/2023

RE: Rec Under 18

LD Maya of San Mateo, CA USA asks...

Is a Player who took a throw-in, and not entered the field, counted for offside position? (please use LotG, FIFA or federation/league guidelines)

Scenario:
1. Throw-in is taken by Red2, on their own half, towards the Blue goal.
2. A Blue player intercepts and passes the ball towards the opposing goal, to teammate Blue3.
* Red2 is still out of the field
* Blue3 is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than all opponents except Red1 and Red2.

Law 11.1 does not care about field location: "any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent."

But Law 11.4 states there's a difference between being inside and outside of the field with and without permission of the referee... and it seems throw-ins are unspecified.

Am I holding the book wrong? :)

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi LD,

The wording here is a little problematic. The LOTG states:

A defending player who leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission shall be considered to be on the goal line or touchline for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play or until the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area. If the player left the field of play deliberately, the player must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play.

What this doesn't cover is when a player leaves the field as part of normal play - eg to go around an opponent, or when overrunning a ball. I can only presume that falls under 'leaving the field of play without the referee's permission', but not the 'left the field of play deliberately' part, requiring a caution. As I said, the wording here is highly problematic in a few ways, but as referees we also need to understand the intent and nuances, perhaps moreso than the literal words.

The LOTG would seem to expect that a player from taking a TI returns to the field immediately - don't forget, if their toe was on the line, that's entering the field. If they stay off, this would be 'leaving the field of play'. If they're staying off to form some sort of unfair advantage, we can consider a caution. Either way, for offside we'd consider this person to be on the line.

It would make no sense for us to have to reconsider which player is the 2nd last line of defence just because a player taking a throw is slow getting back ontot he field.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi LD
Thanks for the question.
The laws are a simple construct and in many instances does not go into minutiae when it is understood through implicit knowledge what is expected or intended.

A player can cross over a boundary line to take a throw in, corner kick, goal kick, free kick and a playing action. That does not require the referees permission as it is part of play yet it is expected that the player will return to play immediately after completing the play.

So in the throw in situation is is required that the player return to play immediately after the throw and that the throwers position would be factored into offside calculation.
The Law book tells us that and I quote " A defending player who leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission shall be considered to be on the goal line or touchline for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play or until the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area. If the player left the field of play deliberately, the player must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play.""

So in many ways not coming back on to the field of play immediately can be considered leaving deliberately and their position will be considered for offside.
In practise an assistant is not going to be concerned about the exact position of the thrower relative to the touchline particularly if the AR is looking across the field of play.

So in your example Red 2 is the second last opponent although still technically off the field of play will be playing Blue 3 onside in all circumstances even if he fell down injured off the field of play. It cannot be any other way.
Players know this and defender taking a throw in from a position away from team mates will move quickly to the defensive offside line so as to not play opponents onside due to his lone deep position.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Maya,
it might seem tricky but you are over thinking the problem simply because there isn't one. During a regular match players MUST in fact exit the FOP to be able to CONTINUE playing, be it to retrieve a ball into touch for a corner kick, a goal kick or a throw in. We could suppose they wait for those who are not players outside the game to go get the ball but can you see the need to be able to exit to obtain such? Then too consider where the restarts occur from, on the corner kick and the throw in?

Also in the course of a game the players will occasionally exit the FOP through directional momentum perhaps running around a downed player along the touchline to avoid a collision or sliding over a goal line as they try to score a goal or clear the ball. As my colleagues pointed out those players are expected to get back up and back on to the FOP post haste!

A referee will award these players de facto permission (actual being such in effect though not formally recognized) as these actions are necessary for the game to continue . It is remotely possible that players who initially are OK to be where they are, outside the FOP temporarily for reasons of USB, choose to extend their stay deliberately or do so in a fashion to gain unfair advantage. In which case the referee might well find them in violation of the LOTG.

Throw-in is taken by Red #2, within their own half, towards the Blue goal.

I am assuming this RED #2 has become the 2nd last opponent as RED #1 is the keeper.

SO a Blue player intercepts the throw in

( no offside is considered until that blue player then passes the ball towards the opposing goal, to where teammate Blue #3 is the recipient.)

Blue # 3 position WOULD be determined for offside purposes at the moment Blue last touched the ball.

* Red #2 is still out off the field likely cursing at his poor effort but for all intents and purposes he is STILL a player and if STILL the 2nd LAST opponent or LAST if the Keeper moved up when * Blue # 3 is judged for the 1st part of offside POSITION

If Blue #3 was NOT nearer to the RED opponents’ goal line than Red #1 and Red #2 at that critical moment then Blue #3 can legally play that through ball & be involved in active play.

Keep in mind that at the grassroots without the VAR and techy stuff to grade these positional moments to the centimeter is not likely . The AR and CR will just have to do their best!
Cheers