Question Number: 18999

Law 11 - Offside 5/5/2008

RE: Competitive Under 17

Dave of Oregon, WI USA asks...

Thank you for having a great website. I hope you guys have as much fun writing the answers as we do reading them.

Here's my question. I am a Level 8 ref and recently AR'd a U17 Boys Classic game. The issue is calling Offsides. The scenario: a group of players, both defenders and attackers, are massed at a point about 1/3 of the distance from the midline towards the goal line, closer to the touchline than the center of the field width. Two attacking players (about 3 yards apart) are clearly in an offsides position, by about 2 yards. Then, an attacking player at the midline kicks the ball over the aforementioned group's head toward the goal line. An attacking player, not in an offsides position at the time of the kick, runs upfield between the two previously mentioned attacking players who were in an offsides position and receives the ball about 5 yards forward towards the goal line. The two players who were in an offsides position in close proximity to the attacking player receiving the ball, never touched the ball themselves. It was my opinion, at the time the ball was kicked, that there was a high probability that the players in an offsides position impeded the forward motion of the defenders racing to catch up to the non-offsides player receiving the ball. I felt they benefitted from being in an offsides position, and as a result of that benefit, the player receiving the ball was allowed to move upfield unimpeded. As a result, I put up the flag to indicate offsides. The Center waived it off saying that the player who received the ball was not offsides at the time of the kick. I agreed fully that the player who received the ball was not offsides at the time of the kick. However, in discussing this call after the game, after I explained my rationale for raising the flag to indicate offsides, the Center said that the rule for calling offsides related to a player who does not receive the ball but uses his offside position to create an advantage applies only in and around the goal area, not in the rest of the field of play. As a ref who would like to be the best he can be, I would like your advice in clarifying this rule. I'd also like to note that I understand that as an AR, I am an assistant to the referee and that my calls can overridden at any time by the Center. Thank you in advance for your input!

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

"there was a high probability that the players in an offsides position impeded the forward motion of the defenders" - do you mean interfered with an opponent? Perhaps if you used those words with your center, he might have agreed with you. Gaining an advantage is very narrowly defined as getting the ball after it rebounds from an opponent or the goal. It sounds like you tried to make the right decision, but didn't know the right thing to call it.

That also makes a big difference when you are writing up reports for misconduct. For example, never say a send-off was for the playing dangerously. PIADM is only an IFK foul, not red card misconduct. Instead you must say serious foul play or violent conduct.

Good for you in trying to better learn the craft of refereeing. And yes, we generally have a good time answering the questions, especially meaty bones like this one that give us something to chew on. Sometimes that chewing goes on through emails behind the scene for several days until we get it right!

Read other questions answered by Referee Gary Voshol

View Referee Gary Voshol profile

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

What your center referee said as to gaining an advantage by being in an offside (please,there's no "s" on the end of offside) position was correct. However, what you really called was a player in an offside position interferring with an opponent. The players in offside position prevented the opponents from moving towards the ball so your call was correct. You just didn't give the right reason!

Read other questions answered by Referee Keith Contarino

View Referee Keith Contarino profile

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

See Question: 19021

See Question: 19044