Question Number: 24088

Law 11 - Offside 10/5/2010

RE: Rec, Competative Under 14

Dan cotter of Spofford, NH US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24055

I am confused by the answer to this question. As long as an offensive player was in an onside position when the shot was taken, whether the goalie has control or not is irrelevant... no? The attacking player is on side until the ball is played by another offensive player. The goalie doesn't reset off side.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You are correct, if a player is onside at the time of the last touch by a teammate, there is no offside.

However, question 24055 stated that the attacker was in a clear offside position. When the ball deflects or rebounds from a defender, that offside position does not change. Only if an opponent makes a controlled play on the ball is offside reset.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi dan
The question stated at the outset that the offensive player was in an offside position.
You are correct in that if a player is an onside position when the ball was last touched by a team mate then he cannot be offside from any subsequent touch by an opponent.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

True. But once the defenders, or the keeper in this case controls the ball offside DOES reset from the standpoint that OFFSIDE positioned players when the ball was last played or touched by a teammate are now free to participate in play. It doesn't matter for onside positioned players as they were free to participate anyway.