Question Number: 18024

Law 11 - Offside 11/28/2007

RE: Select Under 16

Joe Iano of Seattle, WA USA asks...

Attacker A stands in an offside position on the defender's side of the field, but close to the halfway line. One of A's teammates kicks a long ball toward the defending team's goal, over A and all other players except the defending keeper. There is now a race for the ball including attacker A (who was offside at the moment of the kick), a fellow onside attacker, two defenders, and the defending keeper who is coming off his line. As the AR, I run down field, even with the ball, waiting to see if attacker A becomes involved in play. As all of the above players converge on the ball, I decide A has become involved and raise my flag to signal offside. A shoots (after I raise my flag) and puts the ball in the goal. Center referee sees my flag, and recalls goal. Because of my delay in signaling offside, I am standing a good 30 yards from attacker A's original offside position.

Several referees with whom I discussed this incident have responded that I should not have delayed my offside signal, but should have decided A was involved as soon as he joined in the race for the ball.

How is involvement in play determined in such a circumstance?

As a follow-on, where is the IFK restart--where A was standing offside when the ball was kicked, or where I raised my flag?

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

You must wait to determine involvement because there is a player who is able to legally play the ball and if he does play should continue. Just because an offside positioned player is in a race doesn't mean he has interfered with an opponent and it is for sure he hasn't interfered with play or gained advantage. The restart of play is where he was when the ball was last touched or played by his team mate, near the halfway line. Signal as per Ref Voshol's instruction.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You were correct to wait and see if A became involved in play. If A were the only attacker involved, you can flag earlier. But if his teammate has a chance to get to the ball, or if a defender might have a clean play on the ball, A has not yet become involved.

Once you determined that A is involved, you correctly raised the flag. The restart is way back near the half line, where A was when the sequence of play began. You move smartly back to that location, and then give the offside near/middle/far flag signal again. Players who are accustomed to lining up the free kick with the AR's position will have no problem getting your meaning.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sounds to me as if you can give a training class to your fellow referees as to when to signal for offside. You did EXACTLY what FIFA has been hammering us all to do: wait until there is active involvement. Moreover, the specific incident where an onside and offside player are both going to the ball requires you waiting. Good job and well done. Hopefully the center got the restart position correct up near the center line where the player in offside position was when the ball was played

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