Question Number: 15027

Law 11 - Offside 3/22/2007

RE: Adult

luciano mariano spadaccini of vasto, italy asks...

excuse me for my english....i hope you understand my example.

A defender can not leave the field voluntarily to transformer an on-side position of an attacker to off-side position.
If he does it the game will not stop and yellow card for the defender,
but if the defender leaves the field not voluntarily, for example for a tackle and he returns to the field after few seconds, during this time how shall I considerer him for the valuation of attacker's position?
could i considerer him one of the 2 last defenders or no?
thank you

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Luciano. Please excuse my Italian. In both cases the referee allows play to run and counts the defender in the offside equation. At the next stoppage the first defender will be cautioned and shown the yellow card for unsporting behaviour. In the second case no action is necessary because the defender left the field of play through the normal course of play.

Regards,

Luciano. Scusare prego il mio italiano. In entrambi casi l'arbitro permette che il gioco funzioni e che conta la protezione offside nell'equazione. All'interruzione seguente la prima protezione avvertenza ed indicata la scheda gialla per comportamento unsporting. Nel secondo caso non c'? nessun'azione perch? la protezione ha lasciato il campo di gioco con il corso normale di gioco.

Riguardi,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Any player who is temporarily off the field is considered to be at the field boundary for purposes of determining offside position. So if a defender temporarily steps beyond the goal line, you consider him to be standing on the goal line and count him as one of the 2 last defenders.

You are correct, if any defender attempts to force an offside position by voluntarily stepping off the field, we do not stop play. Instead he is cautioned at the next stoppage.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Luciano, you consider him to be at the touchline or the goal line at the point he would be if on the field of play. Ciao!

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

A player can indeed leave the field if it is an attempt to play the ball or it is part of their normal course of play. This is acceptable! It is not acceptable to leave the field in an effort to cheat.