Question Number: 16553

Law 11 - Offside 9/5/2007

RE: Competive Under 19

Richard Baroniunas of Massapequa Park, New York USA asks...

A striker remains in the opponents side between the 2nd last defender and keeper. The defender has possession and kicks the ball from his side hitting another defender. The deflection lands on the striker's foot who tries to score.

Is the striker offsides due to the advantage of being in a offsides position? Or is he considered to be onsides because the ball was last possessed by the defense and bad luck occurs.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The striker may play the ball without penalty. While the defender had possession of the ball it was impossible for the attacker to be considered offside because in order for that to happen would require the attacker's teammate touching the ball.

You can't be offside directly from a ball played (meaning with clear possession) to you by the defenders.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The striker remains in an offside position and may not be found guilty of an offside infraction because offside offence is only judged at the moment the ball is touched or is played by one of his own team. That event in time has not happened in this case.

The referee's assistant must look at offside as two separate events, position and activity. He looks at position every moment of the match. He looks at activity only when there is a touch by a colleague of the offside player. If there is position and activity he flags, if one is missing there is no offside offence. It is really a simple thing when reduced to one plus one.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Richard. Don't consider offside unless the ball has been played or touched by a teammate which is not the case here. First line of Law 11 is that it's not an offence to simply be in an offside position.