Question Number: 24074

Law 11 - Offside 10/3/2010

RE: competitive Adult

Michael of point pleasant, nj usa asks...

The 'A' team has a free kick from about 40 yards out in the offensive half and the ball is kicked directly to a spot in front of the goal where it is deflected by an opponent 'B' to one of the 'A' team players. According to the referee, when asked the specific question, all of the 'A' team players were in an onside position at the time of the free kick, however, when the 'B' team player deflects the ball that makes the 'A' team player that collects the ball offside, since he is now in an offside position.

Do not read anything into this, there were no additional touches by either team according to the referee.

Offside?

This decision was adamantly made by someone who is a ref, an assignor, and a referee evaluator and when questioned informed us that he would have this included in the next certification seminar, since we obviously don't understand the law.

Keep in mind, that this is someone who is nentoring, correcting, and instructing many (perhaps hundreds) young referees in a large youth organization.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Assuming that all of the A team members were in fact in an onside position at the time of the kick, they remain onside until such time as the ball has touched or been played by another member of the A team. At that moment, the offside position of team members is re-evaluated depending on where the defenders and the ball are now located.

A deflection by a B team member means nothing if it goes to an opponent who was onside at the last touch by a teammate (in this case, the free kick). The onside player can legally play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Michael
Offside is judged when the ball is last played by a team mate. That constantly changes with every touch of the ball by that team. In addition offside is not reset by a touch by an opponent as there has to be control of the ball.
So if every member of Team A was 'onside' when the ball was played by a player in Team A then every member of Team A is entitled to play the ball even if the ball is touched by an opponent. Contact of the ball by Team B has no effect in offside consideration as that has now passed. Offside could only be a consideration if a player from Team A touches the ball again and offside is judged again at that point.
From what you describe there is no offside in that situation as when the ball was last played by Team A all player were onside. The touch by Team B does not count

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Hopefully this situation and description was misunderstood. Someone who is in the position of instructing and mentoring should not get a simple scenario like this wrong.

Offside positions are determined when a ball is last played/touched by a teammate. If players were not in an offside position at that time, their subsequent movement does not place them offside until another touch of the ball by a teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Of course what you describe is NOT offside. Hopefully you have misunderstood what the referee actually said. If you are certain you heard correctly I'd suggest you put this same question to Jim Allen at his Q&A site and ask Mr. Allen what should be done. At the least, you can print out his and our responses and take them to this referee/assessor/assignor and show him the error of his way

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 24083