Question Number: 23624

Law 11 - Offside 7/5/2010

RE: Adult

stopgap of sydney, nsw australia asks...

If an attacker receives the ball directly from his keeper when the attacker is in the other half of the pitch and in an offside position I understand that he is not offside. However, if a defender tries to head the ball away from the goal kick but the ball flies off the back of his head to the attacker in that offside position is he still deemed to be onside?
Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
If the ball is in play with the goalkeeper and he flykicks the ball into the other half, an attacker who was in an offside position may not interfere with play or an opponent or he will be called offside.
A player cannot be offside from a restart where the ball has left the field of play. So a player cannot be offside from a goalkick. Perhaps that what you meant?
Also if the ball rebounds off an opponent the player in an offside position will still be called offside if he meet the offside criteria as it has not been reset. In the example you mention if the ball hits the back of the defender's head that will be called offside when the PIOP touches the ball or interferes with an opponent. It makes no difference where the ball is played from or what team mate plays the ball when determining offside while the ball in is play.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Receiving 'directly' on a goal kick, corner kick, or throw -in (the times when a player in offside position may still participate in play) means that the ball has not been touched by a teammate.

On a goal kick, for example, a player in offside position may play the ball if the ball is deflected off the head of an intervening opponent. If, instead, the deflection is off a teammate, the player is offside.

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