Question Number: 15810

Law 11 - Offside 6/16/2007

RE: Competitive Adult

Jim of Portland, OR USA asks...

Law 11 - Offside

Attacker A1 throws-in ball to A2, who is in an offside position near the goal line. A2 makes a cutback cross to A3 in the area who then scores.
Is A2 be in an unlawful offside position? According to the definitions here it doesn't seems so.

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Law 15: You cannot be judged offside when you receive the ball directly from a thrown in.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jim,
the offside decision is not in effect on the initial ball into play on the throw in (Same for a corner kick and a goal kick) The initial offside phase (determining offside position) comes into play only when the team mate RECIEVES the ball put into play from the restart.

In your case was A3 farther away from the opposing goal line than the ball when A2 last touched the ball. Now once A3 contacts the ball offside considerations begin to appear as A2 could be offside positioned and on the A3 shot, A2 could be guilty of interfering with an opponent i.e. blocks the keeper's line of sight)

Just remember these important facts
-on the three exempt restarts there are no offside considerations until AFTER a TEAM MATE touches the ball AFTER that ball was kicked or thrown into play!
-It is never an offence just to be offside positioned in of itself!!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The only question should be where A3 was when A2 passed the ball to him because it is impossible for A2 to be offside since he received the ball directly from a throw-in