Question Number: 14813

Mechanics 2/7/2007

RE: competitive Adult

Walton Dumas of Decatur, GA USA asks...

when does the side line referee raise his flag for offsides? Does he raise it when he first sees someone closer to the opponents goal line than the second opponent, and then blow his whistle when he sees that the player is actively involved in the play? or does he raise his flag and simultaneously blow his whistle when he sees a player who was in an offside position actively involved in the play?

also, is the player only offsides if closer to the opponents goal line than the ball or the second to last opponent when the ball is kicked, or is he offsides any time he is closer to the goal line than either the ball or the second to last opponent?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Walton,
you need to read law 11 then read ref Fleischers offside explanation on our front page. Then read through the offside answers posed on this site and get an idea of the simplicity of this over wrought and over thought law.
The AR (assistant referee) raises the flag when the player in an offside position has involved himself in play by either interfering with the play, interferring with an opponent or gains an advantage all three are explained in law 11. The REFEREE will blow the whistle once he sees the offside flag raised unless by some small chance he disagrees and waves it off. The key point being it is the referee's decision to stop play not the AR's but that decision is made immediately upon seeing the raised flag .

IIMPORTANT an AR DOES NOT raise a flag to indicate offside position only OFFSIDE involvement!

The offside position is determined first when a teammate last touches the ball the player is nearer to his opponents? goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.

If a player is quilty of an offside infringement there are two parts of the equation that MUST occur before the flag is raised to indicate it is so. POSITION +INVOLVEMENT The teammate's last touch of the ball only determines if part one of the equation is in effect, for without part 1 there is no opportunity for part 2 to affect or reset the decision. Involvement as ppart 2 can occur immediately or at a later time which is where the asute AR must be very aware of that critical moment where part one first came into play as moving players and the moving ball create situations that could look way different WHEN involvement finally occurs. It is better a delayed flag that is correct than a too early one that eliminates an attacking oppotunity. We are instructed when in doubt DO NOT wave it about! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

When in his/her opinion, the player in offside position got involved in play. Just because a player is in the offside position (closer to goal line than 2nd last defender and ball and on attacking half), does NOT mean that the flag should come up.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The flag up tells the referee to sanction a player. The assistant raises the flag when, in his opinion, there has been a violation of Law 11.

Regards,