Question Number: 23448

Law 11 - Offside 6/10/2010

RE: Adult

Nick Broderick of Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada asks...

In a Senior Men's C game recently, I had the following scenario occur. The ball is played from 25 yards outside the penalty area at an angle towards the left corner flagpost. It is headed towards an offside-positioned attacker who makes no effort to play the ball nor to interfere with an opponent, i.e. he does not move toward the ball or make any movement which could be perceived to be an attempt to distract a defender trying to play the ball.

Just before the ball is in playing distance of the offside-positioned attacker, another attacker, who is onside, plays the ball and goes on to score a goal. But a defender who is tracking back towards goal to defend appeared to be 'impeded' (not in the way the Laws define it) by the offside-positioned attacker; in other words, he happened to be in the right place at the right time to be an obstacle for that defender, but not in a way that an impeding foul could be justified, in my mind at least. He argued (in more colorful language) that, had the attacker not been in that position, he would have had a chance to play the ball and perhaps prevent the goal. Without being totally sure on this point of Law, I awarded the goal.

So, do you think offside should have been given for 'interfering with an opponent'?
The part of the definition that reads 'making movements or gesture which...' could not possibly apply in my mind, since the offside-positioned attacker basically became a statue once the ball was played. But part that reads 'prevents an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball...' makes no mention of an offside-positioned player's actions; it only indicates what that player must prevent from occurring to be considered guilty of interfering with an opponent. I can see how that defender -- a fellow referee, no less -- may have had a case after a very careful reading of the Laws. What do you think?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Since the player in an offside position never moved, I'd have a really hard time deciding he was impeding anybody. A player has a right to a position on the field, even if it is an offside position. If he made no move to get in the defender's way, obstruct him, block him or interfere with him, then I think your choice to make no call here was correct.

The IGR in the LOTG says impeding means moving into the path of an opponent. Since you say the player in an offside position did not move into his way, there is no offense. Your referee friend was emotionally involved in the game, so one can cut him a little slack for wanting that call.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I recall a training video that had a player on the ground in an offside position. The keeper had to try to jump over or go around that player to get to the ball. The decision was offside. Of course that was several years ago and things have changed a bit, but I think it could still apply.

The definition in the Laws is '"interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent'. Notice they used the word obstructing, not impeding. That could be significant. Obstruction can just happen by the player being there; impeding is an active offense (as you alluded to in the question). If the offside positioned player's position hinders the defender's movement toward the ball, that could be the basis for offside.

The referee would have to decide if the defender's claims of being blocked from playing the ball were valid, or just a dubious attempt at getting a goal annulled. Did he really have a chance or not? Apply the 'hand of God' removal exercise: if that player in the offside position had not been there, would play have been affected?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

He didn't move, he didn't impede. The only time a stationary OSP attacker will be called for interfering with an opponent is if he's blocking the keeper's line of site or he sets himself up so that he WILL be in the way of an opponent especially the keeper. As Ref Maloney points out, every player has a right to a spot on the field