Question Number: 22482

Law 11 - Offside 11/9/2009

RE: Rec Adult

Mike Tapley of temecula, CA USA asks...

A forward is in an onside position when his team kicks the ball, then he moves beyond the last defender; while the ball is in the air, the opposing defender heads the ball backward to the player who is behind him. Is the forward offside because of the header from the opposing defender, or is he not offside because he was in an onside position when his team kicked it?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
The player was in an onside position when the ball was kicked then he/she cannot be offside no matter where he receives the ball. Now a rebound or a deflection by a defender does not change that situation whatsoever as a player can only be offside off a ball played by a team mate not an opponent.
The key is positions when the ball was played by the team mate.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

YES!
ONSIDE attacking players remain ONSIDE as a DEFLECTION of the ball off an opponent CHANGES nothing for the other team. If the attacker was an OSP (offside positioned player) then he would still be an OSP after a deflection of the bal off an opponent.
A deflection of a ball off a player changes nothing for the opposition with regards to offside criteria. BUT it resets offside criteria for the team that ACTUALLY makes contact with the ball.
If you can grasp that both teams could have restricted OSP at the same time you are a long way ahead of others in understanding offside!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Offside positions are determined at the time the ball is last touched or played by a teammate. It is as if a freeze-frame photo is taken at that time. If the player was not in an offside position at that time, no amount of moving player postitions or touches made by opponents can change that fact.

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

No offside - as clearly explained above.