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Soccer Rules Changes 1580-2000


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Question Number: 23137

Law 11 - Offside 4/18/2010

RE: Under 16

Bob of Long Grove, IL USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23120

When he touches the ball is he not a member of his own team who is 'gaining an advantage' from being in an offside position? This seems counter to the original intent of the rule that a player cannot gain an advantage by being off of his 'side.'

While I can see how a literal interpretation could be argued to allow this, it allows a player in an offside position to gain an advantage by being there. This 'ungentlemanly' behavior is exactly what the original rule was designed to protect against.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Law 11 is very clear. The first line says:

'It is not an offense to be in an offside position.'

The attacking player had every right to be there in his offside position, and if the defender is foolish enough, while having control of the ball, to put it where the attacker can get to it, well, then hopefully he learned a lesson.

It is only an offside offense if, again quoting the Law:

'A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball is touched or played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee:'

You'll note the very specific language 'is only penalized if, AT THE MOMENT THE BALL IS TOUCHED OR PLAYED BY ONE OF HIS TEAM'.

Thus, since the ball was last controlled and played by the defending team, there can be no offside. We can only follow the Law, and when it is this crystal clear, there is no wiggle room.



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Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
Law 11 is pretty straight forward. It is not an offence to be in an offside position. It only becomes an infringement when the player touches the ball last touched or played by a teammate after being in an offside position. If the ball rebounds off an opponent or the frame of the goal the player when he touches the ball is gaining an advantage by being in an offside position and that is also offside.
So there is no question that a player by being in an offside position has not committed any unsporting behaviour. He/she will either have infringed Law 11 or not. If he/she meets all the conditions for offside to be called it is an indirect free kick.
Also please remember that Law 11 has moved on considerably in recent years and it is now very different from the original offside law.



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Read other Q & A regarding Law 11 - Offside

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See Question: 23159

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Offside Question?

Offside Explained by Chuck Fleischer & Richard Dawson, Former & Current Editor of AskTheRef

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