Question Number: 22989

Law 11 - Offside 3/24/2010

RE: High School

jerry slota of clinton twp, mi usa asks...

If player 'a' is in an offside position and the ball is deflected to him from the opposing team is he offside or does play keep going because it was touched by the opposing team?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Touched by the opposing team does not reset offside position. Only movement by a teammate with the ball to a position in front of the current position of player 'a', the ball exiting the field, or full control and possession of the ball by a defender will reset the offside position.

A deflection is not control or possession, and thus it does not reset the offside position of attacker 'a'. Attacker 'a' is offside the moment he touches the ball or otherwise becomes involved in play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jerry
A deflection or a rebound does not reset the offside. So if a player is an offside position and the ball is played to him by a team mate he is offside when he touches the ball even if it comes to him via a deflection or a rebound off an opponent.
It is covered under Law 11 and I quote
''"gaining an advantage by being in that position" means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a goalpost or the crossbar having been in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position''

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

There is no difference between high school and the laws of the game on this. The player in offside position may not participate in play when the ball is deflected off an opponent or the cross-bar.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Well, let me throw a little monkey wrench into this scenario. You say that the ball was deflected. Normally any of us would say that a deflection does NOT reset offside nor does it 'save' an offside positioned player from committing an offside infraction if he/she becomes actively involved in play. But...you don't tell us what body part deflected the ball. Last June, USSF (I realize that this is a NFHS not USSF sanctioned game but NFHS I believe is in step with USSF as far as offside is concerned) issued a new interpretation when considering an offside infraction due to becoming actively involved in play by interfering with play. If the ball was deliberately handled by an opponent but with no control and deflected as you say then we call the handling violation unless the offside positioned player was also interfering with an opponent.A deflection does NOT reset offside and if the OSP player becomes involved in play, the AR's flag should go up, and an offside offense should be called. If the ball is deliberately handled, the thinking is even if just a deflection, it's still a direct free kick foul and should be called as it occurs before the OSP player becomes involved in play.