Question Number: 17071

Law 11 - Offside 10/3/2007

RE: Competitive High School

Jeff Bombich of pawleys island, South Carolina United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17016

Here is the scenario that happened last evening. The Green team was throwing the ball in, there were three players on the green team behind the furthest defender in which would otherwise be a normal offside call. On the throw in, the ball deflected off of a red player directly to a green player and the green player kicked it in. There was no time to react nor was there time for anyone to get back on sides. When the green player received the ball from the deflection, she one-timed it into the goal. I allowed the goal and the coach and a parent went ballistic. I tried to explain why it was a goal but to no avail. Will you please confirm my ruling or tell me if I was incorrect. Thank you for your consideration.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

No team can be punished for a violation of Rule 11 (offside) directly from taking a throw-in. After the ball was thrown in, it must be touched by another green player before we start considering an offside violation.

So, in your case the ball touches a red player, not a green player. Thus, this goal should stand and you made the right call! Great Job!

Now, you said the coach went "ballistic" and that word suggests to me that the coach was behaving in an inappropriate manner. So I hope you took some sort of diciplinary action against him (warning, caution, disqualification) that let him know his conduct was unacceptable. Anything less will indicate to him that its OK to "go ballistic" on referees when he doesn't understand why he is wrong about a decision.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Of course you are correct. There's no offside on a throw-in. WHat did the coach and parents not understand about that? Was it because the ball glanced of an opponent? So what? Offside is judged at the moment the ball is played by a teammate. Had the ball glanced off a teammate, offside and no goal. Good call. I hope you did not tolerate the coache's bad behavior.