Question Number: 17215

Law 11 - Offside 10/9/2007

RE: Jr. High competitive Under 14

Ann of Blairsville, PA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 1112

Offsides Question, please! Player A has the ball and is dribbling down the field towards the goal. Player B is in an onside position. Just before player A takes a shot on goal, the defenders move up, putting player B offsides. Although the pass was not intended for player B, will player B still receive an offsides penalty if they are in the "range" of play, or would player B have to actually "play" the ball to be called offsides?
Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Ann,
when the player A shot occurred team mate B was evaluated as to his position. You say the 2nd last opponent had moved past him and that your player is ahead of the ball closer than either one to the opposing goal line? Fine then team mate B was offside positioned at the last touch /contact of the ball by the team mate A shooting.
It is NOT an offence of in its self to be offside positioned.
The offside position was evaluated and f found to be true!
Thus that player B is restricted from ACTIVE involvement in ongoing play!

You now say pass instead of shot? I will hazard a guess your range of play is his proximity to the events unfolding around him?
It will depend on what effect he creates by being there. It is possible to interfere with an opponent simply by standing still, blocking an opponent's the line of sight or forcing him to change his direction to the ball.

We do not judge how opponents respond or decide what to do we only look at what that restricted offside positioned player actually does. If he unfairly blocks an opponent by standing there doing nothing he has in fact performed an act quilty of offside.

Equally if the shot was going to actually touch him and he ducked or dove or jumped out of the way and a goal was scored. The goal could count as long as NO opponent was hindered by those actions. He could chase the ball into the goal and as long as he does not touch it or interfere with any opponent the goal could count as just because he was offside he has no effect on the actual outcome of play.

We are instructed WHEN in doubt DO NOT raise the flag. In circumstances where there is opportunity for team mates who are onside and offside to possibly play the ball we are instructed to wait for a physical touch of the ball by either to decide . ONLY if the offside player interfered with an opponent could we wave that touch requirement!

Now if a ball is head out of play and an offside player is in pursuit and he might get there we are to wait to see if the ball goes out of play or if he is going to in fact touch it we could signal offside even before he touches the ball provided he is the only one likely to make actual contact.

On the FIFA site there is an interactive offside video I recommend you watch. Go to FIFA.com, hit the laws of the game tag lower left then interactive video link right mid side.
It will clarify much.

Two things there is no (s) on offside and our own editor Ref Fleischer has a very good synopsis on offside on our front web page.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

As Ref Dawson noted somewhere above, offside position does not equal the offense of offside. Player B would have to do something, even passively, in order to be involved and thus go from offside position to OFFSIDE. He must get involved by gaining an advantage from that position, or interfering with an opponent or with play. The decision of involvement or not is solely the province of the referee team, based on their training and experience. If player B realizes he is in an offside position and wishes to not be called, he needs to move off the field, or away from play, being careful not to get in an opponent's way.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Ann, a player should NEVER be penalized for merely being in offside position. In order for there to be an offside offence, the player in offside position has to do something to be involved in play. Generaly we think of playing or trying to play the ball but if the player in offside position interferes with the keeper's or another opponent's ability to get to the ball or compromises the keeper's line of sight, there can be an offside offence. Ref Fleischer has an excellent summary of offside on our main page.