Question Number: 17609

Law 11 - Offside 11/1/2007

RE: pro High School

Robert of Glasgow, scotland asks...

does your full body have to be offside

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Whatever part of the body that can legally play the ball that was in an OFFSIDE POSITION can be taken into consideration when making a judgment for an offside infringement.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Here's what US Soccer in Advice To Referees On The Laws Of The Game: "No part of the attacking player other than the arms may be nearer the opponents' goalline than the torso, head, or legs of the second-last defender." They also have 2 diagrams. You can go to ussoccer.org and click on Laws Of The Game to get to this excellent publication

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The any part nearer the goal line than the ball and the last but one [LBO] opponent went away with the 2006 addition of International FA Board Decision 1 of Law 11. In that we read hands and arms don't count, everything else counts and makes the player slip to offside position if any of those parts are nearer the goal line than the ball or the LBO opponent.

Regards,