Question Number: 15135

Law 11 - Offside 4/8/2007

RE: USSF grade 7 High School

Bill O'Donnell of Hicksville, NY USA asks...

The second to last defender makes a back pass to his GK not realizing that an attacking player is between him and his GK. The attacking player is clearly in an offside position were he to receive a pass from a team mate...is he offside if he intercepts a back pass from a defender? I know he didn't recieve a pass from "one of his own team" but isn't he gaining an advantage by being in an offside position? Bottom line question...is the attacking player penalized for offside or not and why or why not?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Bill, Reread the first line of Law 11!!! That is the first hint to the solution of this dilemma. The second hint is this: the referee prevents an offside positioned player from interfering with play or an opponent or gaining advantage AFTER the ball is touched or played by one of his own team. If this one thing, touched or played, has not happened the referee CAN NOT [had better not] prevent an offside positioned player from getting involved unless there is another breach of the Law.

An offside positioned player is not committing an offence by being there, he only commits an offence AFTER the ball is touched or played AND he interferes with play or an opponent or has the ball rebound to him off the goals, goalkeeper or another opponent. Gaining an advantage must never enter into your decision until there's a touch by the offside player's team. If he is gifted with an ill thought out pass, it is just that, a gift. Don't interfere. It's good luck for him and bad luck for them.

One wonders had this situation have arisen during your upgrade assessment what would have happened?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You're a Grade 7 and asking this question? You gotta be kidding me. This is so basic EVERY Grade 9 should know it. Offside is ONLY judged at the moment the ball is touched or played by a TEAMMATE!!!!!!!!!!!! How could this player be guilty of offside when he stole the pass of an opponent?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No because the ball was not played from a teammate. It was controlled and past back by a defender.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:

* interfering with play or
* interfering with an opponent or
* gaining an advantage by being in that position.

That means the player in the offside position can only be penalized for being in that position, regardless of its consequences if the ball was last touched or played by a teammate. It is not an offense to be in the offside position.