Question Number: 14870

Law 11 - Offside 2/20/2007

RE: Rec Adult

Don Davis of tulsa, ok US asks...

In the following
The Question was This question submitted by Kieth Contarino: A player makes a pass towards his teammate who is in offside position running in the direction of the ball inside the opponents Penalty Area. An opponent reaches out with his hand and deliberately deflects the ball with his hand away from the goal to the player whom the pass was intended. Your action is:
Shouldn't the play stop where the defender deliberately handles the ball regardless to where anyone is on the field?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Don,
if the referee is of the OPINION the deliberate handling was to deny the offside player the ball we must remenber the offside is initated when the kick (last touch of the ball by the teammate) starts the ball rolling so to speak. If the deliberate handling comes after offside is initiated we must ascertain if the ball was intended for the offside player and the handling was the defender's solution to deny him the ball.
As an unfair act, can we say without certainty that the offside player affected play and was involved by creating an outcome that would not have occured if he was not there?

The USB of the act is cautionable reguardless of what decision the referee arrives at! If he decides the DFK for the DHB should be awarded because the offside attacker had not affected play then the spot of the infringment is where the DFK occurs.

IF the referee determines the offside player was involved, did affect play, was interferring or gaining an advantage off a deflection then the offside is awarded and the INDFK occurs from where the offside player was at the time of the KICK, NOT when the ball eventually got to him or he eventually became involved!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No. The key word here is deflection which implies no control. A deflection off ANY body part of the defender does NOT reset offside. Offside is judged at the moment the ball is played by the attacker. The handling comes AFTER so the proper call is offside. A player in offside position may not be rewarded for being in that position. If an opponent plays the ball then offside is reset. If not, then you look at this as if the opponent wasn't even there. Hence the offside. How old was this question?

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

See Question: 14921