Soccer Referee Resources
Home
Ask a Question
Articles
Recent Questions
Search

You-Call-It
Previous You-Call-It's

VAR (Video Assistant Referee)

Q&A Quick Search
The Field of Play
The Ball
The Players
The Players Equipment
The Referee
The Other Match Officials
The Duration of the Match
The Start and Restart of Play
The Ball In and Out of Play
Determining the Outcome of a Match
Offside
Fouls and Misconduct
Free Kicks
Penalty kick
Throw In
Goal Kick
Corner Kick


Common Sense
Kicks - Penalty Mark
The Technical Area
The Fourth Official
Pre-Game
Fitness
Mechanics
Attitude and Control
League Specific
High School


Common Acronyms
Meet The Ref
Advertise
Contact AskTheRef
Help Wanted
About AskTheRef


Soccer Rules Changes 1580-2000


Panel Login

Question Number: 35866

Law 11 - Offside 1/20/2025

Zluvka of Liberec, Liberec Region Czech Republic asks...

This question is a follow up to question 35865

Hi, this was the situation in our league.

A player made a through pass. A teammate ran after the pass. The defender fouled him. The ball was 5 meters away from the player at that moment. Otherwise, the player would have gone to the goal himself. The referee awarded RC DOGSO. VAR saw offside. Realistically, I think the player is only in an offside position 5 meters from the ball. Especially when it comes to a pass rush situation. It was changed to IDFK for offside and RC was cancelled.

Maybe he used this advice.
** A player in an offside position may be penalised before playing or touching
the ball, if, in the opinion of the referee, no other team-mate in an onside
position has the opportunity to play the ball.**

If the referee didn't use this advice, then it should have been a DFK for the fouled player according to VAR and no card, right? Thank you, Zluvka

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Zluvka,
It's possible the referee, based on the info given by VAR, decided that this was offside because no other team mate had an opportunity to play the ball but for me it would be a bit of a stretch to use that to negate a foul committed on an otherwise uninvolved player.

Another possibility (and I think a more justifiable one) would be that the player in an offside position was judged to have interfered with an opponent, most likely under the category of challenging an opponent for the ball.

Had the offside offence not been given, then as previously discussed there would be no red card for a DOGSO offence, and a DFK to the fouled player's team. However, there could still be a card (of either colour) depending on the exact nature of the foul itself. The referee could still decide that the foul was reckless or used excessive force.




Read other questions answered by Referee Peter Grove

View Referee Peter Grove profile

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Zluvka
Thanks for the follow up.

When Law 11 was changed a number of seasons ago it is understood that senior referees and assistants were unhappy with having to wait until a lone player in an offside interfered with play or an opponent before flagging for offside. There was an amendment made at that time which is what you quote today.

Since that amendment I have seen many offside calls made using that concession some of which were questionable in my opinion.

So without that concession advice and assuming none of the 4 conditions of interfering with an opponent were present it was not offside and the restart should have been a direct free kick plus the appropriate disciplinary action based on the situation.
There is also the possibility on a tight offside that the AR kept the offside flag down and then when VAR got involved it was seen to be offside.

There is an issue at play here about the use of VAR. IFAB does not want VAR to be crutch for referees to not make an immediate decision and some referees who are slower and measured in decision making get to hear the VAR advice which then does not look like a change of decision.
It is also brings into the mix the holding down of the offside flag in tight attacking situations until after the opportunity has been taken and then a raised flag with VAR making a final determination.

In the Chelsea v Wolves game on Monday night a gosl was scored by a Chelsea play that looked clearly offside. The flag was kept down with a goal scored and then the offside flag raised. VAR determined that a Wolves defender was marginally playing the scoring player onside and the goal was allowed to stand.

As a referee I have had a number of offside situations where assistants have flagged for offside ‘early’ and a decision had to be made whether to take the flag or not.
I recall in one game where an inexperienced AR flagged an attacker in an offside position early as he ran after the ball. The PIOP stopped some fifteen / twenty metres from the through ball as did all the defenders with the raised flag. Now an onside attacker was in the mix and he only decided to run after the ball when his team mate stopped. With a couple of minutes to go with the score at 3-0, a fourth goal was not going to matter so I took the flag and blew for offside. Technically incorrect in Law yet in my opinion the best decision for the game. There was grumbling from the attacking players yet in the scheme of things there was no real gripe as there was a PIOP. It was highly likely that not taking the offside flag was going to raise a strong gripe issue for the losing team late in the game. There was also the strong possibility that had the flag not gone up that it would have ended up as interfering with play.
I advised the AR of the learning point of not going too early with sn offside flag as it allowed PIOP to stop running and that ends up with other possibilities. Had the AR waited it would have been a stonewall offside rather than an early flag alerting the PIOP of his position which is why he stopped his run. The correct mechanics was to wait and see and raise the flag when the PIOP interfered with play or an opponent. No other possibility was then present.



Read other questions answered by Referee Joe McHugh

View Referee Joe McHugh profile

Ask a Follow Up Question to Q# 35866
Read other Q & A regarding Law 11 - Offside

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 35867

Soccer Referee Extras

Did you Ask the Ref? Find your answer here.


Enter Question Number

If you received a response regarding a submitted question enter your question number above to find the answer




Offside Question?

Offside Explained by Chuck Fleischer & Richard Dawson, Former & Current Editor of AskTheRef

<>
This web site and the answers to these questions are not sanctioned by or affiliated with any governing body of soccer. The free opinions expressed on this site should not be considered official interpretations of the Laws of the Game and are merely opinions of AskTheRef and our panel members. If you need an official ruling you should contact your state or local representative through your club or league. On AskTheRef your questions are answered by a panel of licensed referees. See Meet The Ref for details about our panel members. While there is no charge for asking the questions, donation to maintain the site are welcomed! <>