Question Number: 14819

Law 11 - Offside 2/10/2007

RE: Competitive Club Under 12

Ken Hawk of Tyler, Texas USA asks...

If a player plays the ball to attacking teamate #1 - who is an ONside position while, at the same time, attacking teamate #2 is in an OFFside position but NOT involved in the play, not interfering with a player, and not gaining advantage, I understand that no offside will be called. However - the question is whether it is required or proper for the AR to raise the flag at the time it is played to the ONside player in order to signal to the Referee that there is another player in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ken,
No!
The offside flag is ONLY raised when in the opinion of the AR an offside infringement HAS occurred!
The flag does NOT signify offside position it ONLY signals an offside INFRINGMENT, an actual offence where we stop play and award an INDFK to the opposing team. Yes, some times it is adelayed flag and the restart INDFK can be located 25 yards back up field.
That is a fact of play!
It is not the responsibility of the AR to tell the defenders tactical information the whereabouts or legality of their opponents, only to signal the referee WHEN play should be halted!

Whether one might or is soon to occur the AR must remember which player(s) cannot participate until the offside is reset by further dynamic play as in a retouch of the ball by a teammate or a controlled posession of the ball by the opponents.

It is specified by those who dictate policy if we are considering interfering with play we are to WAIT until the offside player has physically touched the ball if there are onside teammates who could also play that same ball.

Now if the offside player interferes with the opponent of course we do NOT wait for a physical touch of the ball even if an onside teammate plays the ball because the offside INFRINGEMENT has already occurred!

There are non official silent signals that some AR's use to communicate various things without a flag to the referee. I do not advise younger or inexperianced referees from trying these until they are comfortable following the specified protocall and fully grasp their duties. In present day professional matches with the radio communications between officials a simple phrase or word can set things in perspective!
But for most of us the flag speaks when it is raised to stop play.
It also speaks if it is not raise to not stop play!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Ken, your flag says "Hey Referee, blow the whistle!" Is this what you want??? No, what you want is no whistle. This = no flag.

Regards

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No, the AR only raises flag when a team should be penalized. Never ever put the flag up during play unless you want referee to blow whistle.