Question Number: 16994

Law 11 - Offside 9/30/2007

RE: Comp Under 14

Rob Johnson of Folsom, CA USA asks...

A Center-mid on our team took a shot at goal from around the PK hash-mark, there were about 8 players from both teams in the general area at the time of the shot. Once the shot was kicked, our L-forward raced toward the goal in case of a rebound; she is now ahead of everyone except the goalie. The shot ricochets off the leftside post where said forward is able to deflect it back into the goal. The AR raises his flag, saying the forward was offside. The Center agrees, and it's called no-goal.

Is this right? Is the goal post considered its own passer, or the beginning of a new sequence? Or, is the original kicker, the Center-mid, the original passer, and therefore the goal should have counted?

My own take is that the AR was confused by the action and didn't realize that the forward was behind defnders when the ball was originally kicked.

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Rob,
Your use of the word *behind* is scary here because if your striker was in fact closer to the opposing goal line than the second last opponent and the ball when the shot was taken she was *offside positioned= part (1)* and thus restricted from participation in play. The rebound of the ball off the post would qualify her as gaining an advantage. She is quilty of offside involvement = part (2) and an INDFK out is correct!

If your striker was onside (behind the ball at the shot or had two oponents between her and he opposing goal line when the shot by the team mate was taken she can run past all opponents and wait for the ball standing on the goal line if she wishes and legally play the ball. The fact she looks offside because of the rebound is again of no consequence because a deflection of the ball off an opponent, goal post, crossbar or even the referee changes nothing.
What was in effect, remains in effect!

If she was onside before she is onside after.

The first line of law 11 states clearly it is NOT an offence to be in an offside position. Here your striker was onside in an offside looking position BECAUSE she got there AFTER offside/onside positions were established way back when the shot (last team mates touch of the ball occurred)

Her involvement is NOT restricted because she was not offside positioned when the last touch of the ball by the team mate occur.

Ball movement and player movement change the look of things.

A good AR must focus on a picture memory of where positions were at the time of the kick and apply them when the ball is next played!

onside player involved with play (-1) in an offside position (+1) = 0
offside position player (+1) not invoved in play (-1) = 0
offside positioned player (+1) involved in play(+1) = 2 (indfk out for an offside infringment)

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If a player is not in an offside position at the time the ball is last touched by a teammate, there is no offside.

If the player was in an offside position at the last touch, then he then becomes involved in play, he is offside.

In either case, it doesn't matter where the player receives the ball or if there was a rebound off the post, the goalkeeper or a defender.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Rob, depends on where your L-Forward was at the moment the ball was kicked by her teammate. If she was NOT closer to the opposing goal then both the ball and the next to last opponent at the time of the shot, she's free to run up and play the ball. But....you don't tell us specifically where she was at the moment the ball was kicked. You say she was "behind" defenders but that could mean anything depending on your take.