Question Number: 12875

Law 11 - Offside 5/22/2006

RE: Premier U10's to College Other

Mikey of Indianapolis, Indiana USA asks...

Concerning Memorandum 2005 from IFAB concerning Law 11 Offsides.

Is FIFA going to institute in the near future a change in the offsides rule that will allow an assistant referee to call offsides on a player in his own half of the field. This would be dependent upon his being behind the next to the last defender with any part of his head, chest, or feet over the midfield line.

USSF suggests this be called as it puts the attacker closer to the opponents goal than the next to the last defender but the rule book still maintains no offsides if a player is in his or her own half. Thanks for any guidance on this one.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Firstly Mikey, offsides only rings a bell as what those not knowing it is called "Offside" scream when they want a call.

Offside used to be determined in any part of the field but in 1907 offside changed to the attacking half. There has been no change to which half of the field offside position can be judged.

Offside infraction can happen in either half when one considers a player may not relieve himself of the restrictions imposed on him if he was in an offside position when the ball was last touched by a colleague. If he runs into his own half and interferes with play or an opponent he has committed an offside infraction! Assuming his side has not touched the ball again, of the opponents have not established control.

Note the restart of play CAN NOT be in his own half, it must be where he was when the ball was last touched by one of his own team.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

As Ref Fleischer has noted, offside may be called on a player in his/her own half under the conditions described and it has been this way for a looooong time. To the best of my knowledge there is no change being considered. All the best,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mikey,
The short answer is NO!
There is no judging an offside POSITION if you are completely inside ( except the arms) your half of the field.

What can occur is if you were in an offside position in the opponents half of the field and before another phase of play had occurred you CAN be quilty of an offside INFRINGEMENT for becoming INVOLVED in your half of the field/ If you were say a late returning striker 6 yards inside the opponents half (the 2nd last defender has pushed up and is on the midline),when your keeper after a save punts the ball down field towards you. You look around and think Hey I am in an offside position so now you run back inside your half . > You think great I am safe now. BUT you would be 100% incorrect. The ball bounces just shy of the centre circle your opponent goes to play it and you cut him off / TWEET huh you say. The AR flag is up and he is likely standing 6 yards back of the midline pointing to where you were WHEN your keeper last touched the ball on the punt out. INDFK for interfering with an opponent.

The key to offside position is once it becomes a fact, NOTHING , that player does can change the fact, that he cannot be involved in active play. Only the actions of his opponents regaining control and ball posession or when another teammate makes contact with the ball again or the ball goes out of play in favour of the opponent or for a throwin corner or goal kick can reset the offside criteria .

If I understood what you are asking a player has SOME of the playable body parts over the midline while he is standing on his side of the midline? As in a leaning over chest and head? The law states that you cannot be in an offside position if you are within the confines of your half of the field. In the definition of offside position, "nearer to his opponents' goal line" means that any part of his head, body or feet is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. The arms are not included in this definition. So if the AR judges you leaning over or stepping over the midline even if the rest of your body is inside your half an offside position is established as those playing body parts are NOT inside your half of the field. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Good God! I hope not. It's difficult enough to try to explain to screaming coaches/parents/spectators, etc., etc., that it is offside when a player who was in the offside position at the time his teammate touched or played the ball, involved himself in that play by retreiving it on his own half of the field. The screamers are only showing their ignorance to that fact. And that is the only way there could be an offside infringment APPEARING to occur on his own half of the field. When offside is called, it is always restarted with an IFK where the player was in the offside position. Not where he was when he involved himself in the play. Additionally, the halfway line marks the beginning of the opponent's side. Therefore, if you are standing on the halfway line and all playable parts are nearer to your opponent's goal line than the last but one defender and the ball, you are in the offside position. What happens from there, remains to be seen.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 22474