Question Number: 15929

Law 11 - Offside 7/2/2007

RE: Rec Adult

Geoffrey of Laguna Beach, CA USA asks...

At what point is an offside player, who did not get involved in play, allowed to "reinvolve" themselves in play? Last weekend, a pass in the air to a player that was offside, ended up being more of a pop-up, fell short, and was trapped cleanly by a defender. The player who was in an offside position saw the short pass and came back up the field, from behind the defender, allowed the defender to trap the ball, and then immediately, before the defender could do anything else, cleanly took possession of the ball. It was not clear to me that the defender knew the offside attacker was coming back up the field or that the defender was influenced in the way he played the ball. It would seem to me that technically there was not an offside infraction because the attacking player (in my opinion) did not interfere with the defending player and the defending player cleanly controlled the ball. On the other hand, it felt to me that the defender should have had a greater chance to do something with the ball. It felt like the attacker gained an advantage from his position, but I couldn't say the ball was last touched by a teammate as the defender clearly controlled the ball with his trap. At the time, and under time contraint to make or not make a call - I raised my flag for offside. Now however I'm wondering was that the right call? Is there a rule of thumb over how long a defender should have control before an offside player can attempt to dispossess them of the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

"Gaining an advantage by being in an offside position" means playing a ball that rebounds to the player off a post or crossbar or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position. It also means being near enough to the play to capitalize immediately on a defender's mistake, having gained the advantage solely by being in the offside position. It is most often seen in situations where the ball rebounds from the crossbar, goalposts, or keeper (whose contact with the ball is not controlled).

In the case you relate I would be hard pressed to keep my flag down as well. The player got the ball BECAUSE he sneaked in from an offside position. Simple as that.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

They must wait until a ball touches a teammate or a defender establishes control of the ball. Those are the 2 ways that offside position will be reset.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Geoffrey,
great question!
Interfering with play, interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage do have overlaps in the INVOLVEMENT criteria. The key point is IN THE OPINION OF THE REFEREE is there involvement regardless of how you choose to list it a 1 of the 3 types.

For me your description is in my opinion interfering with an opponent through direct participation in ongoing play. Consider if there is an offside player at the touch that popped up ball by DEFINITION he is NOT allowed to involve himself in active play. CLOSING down the opponent as the ball is enroute is certainly not being passive is it? IF it is advantageous for him to be there then it was the getting to there that we are to look at!

Now we might allow the opponent the opportunity to play the ball and see if it is redirected away from harm and thus keep the flag down or possibly wave it off. A long clearing header that falls favorably to another team mate just ahead of an offside player trying to get there might qualify but truthfully was there not a danger or a chance of a collision?

I sort of qualify the nearness with what action the offside player imparts? If he remains passive standing and watching at 6 or 7 yards and makes no move towards the opponent until in my opinion controlled possession is established then I see no offside infringement. Yet take that same situation at 2 to 3 yards and just by proximity the defender is likely affected by that player. Now if he took a knee or turned away to show hey I am not really here then perhaps no offside? WE look at what is the offside player doing???

Now take an offside player on the dead run at 15 to 20 yards from the start he is trying to make a beeline to that incoming ball always closing the defender down as the defender awaits and gathers in and then controls the ball only to have this particular player sneek in behind to take it away reeks of something does it not?

How uninvolved in the development of this play was he?
Remember it is NEVER the action or even reaction of what an opponent does nor what he thinks you ONLY consider the action of the offside player and match it against the criteria.

The key in the time frame of controlled possession by an opponent is in my opinion rather like advantage we wait a second or to see if it really takes before we decide to play on. You need to be situationally aware of the possibility of a collision which we are told not to let occur between offside players and opponents. This is my opinion but the closer an offside positioned player attempts to get to the ball the more involved in play he likely is!
For what it is worth I give you two thumbs up for a good call!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

One way of looking at whether an offside-positioned player is involved or not is to mentally remove him from the play. If that player wasn't there, if he had been suddenly transported from the field, would play have developed in the same way? If yes, then there was no offside infraction, as the player was not involved.

In your case, there definitely was a change in the game because of the offside-positioned player's actions. Therefore he involved himself in play, specifically by interfering with an opponent.