Question Number: 15981

Law 11 - Offside 7/9/2007

RE: Travel Under 11

Tom Anderson of California, Maryland US asks...

During a U-10 travel match, player A1 was attacking. Player A2 was clearly in an offside position (between the second last defender and GK, offensive half of the pitch, beyond the ball). Player A1 passes the ball on the ground to Player A2 who jumps to avoid touching it (still in the offside position). Player A3 is running along the touchline for the ball but is still 5+ yds from it. The referee calls Player A2 offside who complains that he never touched the ball and can't be offside. Ref says that he was active in the play.

I realize "you had to be there", but it appeared that A1 was indeed passing to A2 - would that be sufficient to be considered "active in the play" or did A2 have to actually touch the ball? I've noticed in the discussions here that touching the ball seems to be required, but I don't see that distinction in the LOTG. Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Law 11, Decision 2
The definitions of elements of involvement in active play are as follows:
* Interfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or
touched by a team-mate.
* Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from
playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the
opponent?s line of vision or movements or making a gesture or
movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts
an opponent.
* Gaining an advantage by being in that position means playing a
ball that rebounds to him off a post or the crossbar having been
in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an
opponent having been in an offside position.

Sometimes a player is so close to the ball that even if he jumps over it, he has interfered with his opponent's ability to see or play the ball. In that case he would be called for interfering with an opponent.

If a player is not interfering with an opponent, he may still be called for interfering with play before he touches the ball. If he is the only attacker who will have the ability to play the ball, the ref can blow the whistle early.

If it appears there will be a collision or other confrontation with an opponent, the ref must blow the whistle before the collision occurs for player safety. In this case, the reason for the offside call would be interfering with an opponent.

You've got U10 players talking back to the ref about calls? Let's get that stopped toute suite! I hate to think what they will be like in the barbarian years starting about U15.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

What COULD be percieved is interfering with an opponent if the position of the offside player blocks or creates a disadvantage for an opponent to see play or move towards the ball

Touching the ball IS ONLY a requirement when an onside player and his offside team mate both are in pursuit of the ball for interfering with play.

Also if an offside player makes an attempt to NOT to play the ball as in jumping out of the way if he clearly is not playing th ball again no reason to call offside.

If he fakes it as in a dummy then it is more likely he COULD have decieved an opponent he has interfered with play
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

While A2 doesn't have to physically touch the ball, he still may be interferring with an opponent by this action. That's probably what the refere decided and, yes, had to be there