Question Number: 23192

Law 11 - Offside 4/26/2010

RE: Youth soccer Under 15

Al of Linwood, NJ Atlantic asks...

Today I was a single ref in a youth soccer boys game. My question concerns an offsides call that I made.

The offensive player was bringing the ball into the PK area on the right side (near post). The goalie was approximately in the middle but favoring the far post a little. An offensive player was clearly in the offsides position about 4 feet inside the far post waiting for a pass. He didnt get the pass. The player with the ball shot the ball on the ground at the near post and scored. I did not see the goalie move toward the offsides player who remained 4 feet inside the far post. Of course I couldnt read the goalies mind and I dont know if he was partially focused on the offsides player. I dont know if the goalie would have moved closer to the shot if the offsides player wasnt a threat at the far post.

As soon as the goal was scored I disallowed the goal and called offsides. (the coach opposed my call saying that his man was not involved in the play) I based my call on the possibility that, by necessity, the goalie was frozen and couldnt move toward the player with the ball or couldnt move toward the near post. In essence the off-sides player could have made the goal wider by making the goalie stay near to him. I thought that was an advantage. Again I didnt see the goalie move toward the off-sides player and I couldnt read his mind.



What call would you have made?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Law 11 contains a reminder: it is not an offense to be in an offside position. All doubts are resolved in favor of 'not offside.'

The player in offside position did not interfere with the keeper's ability to see the ball and it seems from your description that he did not to interfere with the keeper's physical ability to play the ball. His mere presence in an offside position is not enough. One cannot infer interference by making the keeper 'conscious' of the player's presence. Law 11 is not intended to compensate for the mistakes by the defense because someone is in offside position. The offense is active involvement in play. Wait for the attacker to do something (shouting, movement, impeding etc.) - - conduct by the player in offside position that interferes. If there is no observable conduct, resolve doubts in favor of 'not offside.'

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Al, first sentence in Law 11 states it is not an offense to merely be in an offside position. First thing i suggest you do is go read and re-read what Advice To Referees says about interfering with play, interfering with an opponent, and gaining an advantage by being in an offside position. A referee can rationalize almost anything as an advantage so FIFA and USSF made that criteria quite specific. Also, even if you could read the keeper's mind and he WAS worried about the offside positioned player, there is still no offside offense as the OSP player has to DO something to interfere with the keeper. Presence alone is not enough.

It's good that you question your decisions and ask advice. That's how you become a better referee.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Al
It is not an offence to be in an offside position. Unless the player in the offside position prevented the goalkeeper from playing the ball, distracted the goalkeeper or impeded his line of vision to the ball it is not offside. From reading your post the GKs 1st priority should have been the player with the ball and any possible shot. It reads to me that the GK was anticipating a cross, it did not happen and then he was caught out of position for the shot. IMO the goal should have stood.
The only way it could have been offside is if the OSP player got in the way of the keeper and his movement or got in the way of the GK's line of vision. The GK has to also use Law 11 and his judgement to say to himself that the forward is an offside position so if he touches the ball it is an offence so his concentration should be on the ball carrier and any possible shot.

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Our readers might be interested to see the USSF's official answer to this question at http://www.askasoccerreferee.com/?p=2301 - not offside.

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