Question Number: 9301

Law 11 - Offside

RE: Rec Under 13

Marty Offineer of Amherst, OH USA asks...

This is from a discussion in our local referee's meeting. In general, how does a player who is offsides get back on sides? For example, Striker A1 is in an offsides position at the 12 yard line even with the left goal post. Striker A2 has the ball at the 18yd line on the right corner of the penalty box and is gaurded by Defender B1. The goalie is in the goal box area. Striker A2 dribbles down to the 6yd line with the Defender B1 still on him (but B1 has not touched the ball). Has Striker A1 been reset to onsides when the Striker / ball / Defender B1 went past him? OR, if Midfielder A3 overlaps Striker A2 at the 18 with A1 still in an offsides position, and while A3 is still onside, Striker A2 passes the ball down into the right corner for Midfielder A3 to chase down. As the ball passes Striker A1, has he been reset to onsides? If the Defender B1 also chases the ball down into the right corner thereby passing Striker A1 but does not touch the ball, has A1 been reset in this example? In these examples, does the defender have to touch the ball once the ball has passed the Striker A1 before A1 is reset to onsides?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Marty you seem hung up on the phrase reset to onsides. This can't happen! What Law 11 - Offside wants us to do is take note those in offside positions when the ball is touched or played by one of their own team. Those players may never get involved in play nor can they gain advantage when the ball rebounds to them. That is, until the ball is again touched by a member of their own team and, by then, they have attained a position that is not offside. OR the ball is no longer in play. OR the defense has controlled the ball. ..In America we are bound by the policy of US Soccer and that says if the ball is no longer in play for throw-in or corner kick to the attack and there has been an offside flag the referee has missed we should give offside instead of a restart to the attack. ..Think of the offside decision as a series of photographs of the situation at each touch of the ball, by the attack, held in the hand of the lead assistant. If a player is offside in the photo he can't get involved. At the next touch the assistant discards it and takes a new photograph; anyone offside in that photo can't get involved. At the next touch the assistant discards it and takes a new photograph; anyone offside in that photo can't get involved. This goes on for the whole match. At the end of the match each touchline is littered with photographs of the last but one defender and in each of the photos any player in an offside position was not able to play the ball until the ball was again touched by a member of their own team and, by then, they had attained a position that was not offside. ..Please apply the following to each situation in your question:..When judgment of offside position is necessary, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his OWN team ask these questions: ..1. Is the player in the attacking half of the field?.2. Is the player nearer the goal line than the ball?.3. Is the player nearer the goal line than the last but one opponent or the last two opponents?..If all are answered yes GOTO next paragraph ELSE IF any question is answered no, the player is not in an offside position and can participate in play until the next touch by a member of his team. At that point GOTO question 1. ..The player is in an offside position, ask two more questions: ..a. Is the player interfering with play or an opponent?.b. Is the player gaining an advantage?..If either of these is true or becomes true before the next touch by one of his OWN side then the assistant flags for offside and the referee blows for the infraction and awards an indirect free kick, to be taken from where the attacker was at the moment the ball was touched or played by a member of his own team...Remember that it is not contrary to the Law to be in an offside position. After the ball is played a footballer may run into an offside position and play it without penalty. When a player is in an offside position and the ball is touched or played by a colleague that player may not get involved, without penalty, even if the ball bounces off an opponent or an opponent misplays it. ..Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Marty, the only thing important is where the player is when his teammate releases the ball. If a striker is moving towards the opponent's goal and a teammate is in offside position, all he has to do is pullback until even with the ball or the next to last opponent. This is NOT resetting offside as offside hasn't been judged yet. Once the teammate releases the ball, if a player is in offside position, he may not participate in active play and there is no way a player may 'reset' offside. He has to wait until the ball is out of play, the opponents gain control or the next time a teammate has the ball he must be in onside position

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

See Question: 18216