Question Number: 14812

Law 11 - Offside 2/7/2007

RE: USSF & UIL High School

Bill Johnson of Harker Heights, TX US asks...

OK, there is no offside on a throw in. If player A1 throws the ball towards player A2 (who is in an offside position) and a defensive player B1 heads the ball and A2 still receives it is he then in an offside position since it was touched by a defender?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Bill,
yes he is still offside positioned BUT remember it is not an OFFENCE to be offside positioned!!

Seperate the (offside position) segment of the equation from the (offside involvement) which can occur immediately or much later! Both parts are required to award offside and grant an iNDFK restart

Then remember it is not the " offside" but the "offside position" that is waved on the three restarts exceptions, corner kick, goal kick and throw in! It is the position of the player themselves that is not used against the player on the initial restart. Thus part one is cancelled part two never comes into effect WITHOUT part one in effect first!

ONLY another actual touch of the ball by a teammate after the restart will reset the offside exception granted on the restart!

If you read into offside law 11 the 3rd criteria of gaining an advantage it points out the a deflection off an opponent does not forgive the offside position what was, remains as it was! In your case the same applies on the deflection what was stays as the EXCEPTION granted on the restart was in effect!

You need to grasp that any deflection of the ball off an opponent will NOT reset offside parameters whether they are in effect or not in effect, everything remains as it was.

I feel it is the word DIRECT which confuses the issue.
For the sake of clarity a direct ball from one teammate to another will not be undone just because a ball deflects off an opponent trying to intercept or inadvertantly getting in the way!

Also if the red opponent gained control and posession of the ball off the blue player's throw in and then gifted that ball back to an offside positioned blue player while the eexception might no longer be an issue niether was the ball last touched by a teammate so again part one is not part of the equation and part two is in fact allowed as normal play

Confusion stems from not seperating the three exemptions from part 1 of offside.
In effect while offside positions CAN exisit for this one throw or kick of the ball we ignore the fact it was last touched by a teammate UNTIL that ball makes contact with another teammate.

One other important distinction is although we wave the deflection of the ball off an opponent as meaning anything this is NOT so for a deflection of the ball off a teammate as ANY touch of the ball will reset offside to the initial stage of consideration.

For some reason we get this question a lot! Although I am trying to clarify the concept it is a simple premise and many in my opinion just overthink it! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Bill, as a referee you KNOW that offside is only judged when the ball is played or touched by a teammate. What possible difference could it make on a throw-in if a defender touched or played the ball? The only time a defender playing the ball does anything concerning offside is when a defender controls the ball it resets offside and will put an offside opponent onside. A defender playing or touching the ball can NEVER create an offside situation.