Question Number: 24248

Law 11 - Offside 10/29/2010

RE: Competitive High School

E. Johnson of Olathe, KS United States asks...

Keeper gathers ball and quickly rolls ball to his defender upfield. Defender turns around an mistakenly plays ball directly back to opposing attacker who is trailing in an offside position. What is the correct call?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
The correct call is to allow play continue as there is no offence here. While the attacker may be in an offside position, he has to receive the ball from a team mate for offside to be called. A player cannot be offside from a ball that is deliberately played to him by an opponent.
He would be offside on a deflection/rebound off an opponent if he was in an offside position when the ball is played to him by a team mate.

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Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is not an offense to be in an offside position. An attacking player is allowed to challenge for the ball once the defender has clear possession and control of the ball.

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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

There is no call to make here. The defender goofed, the attacker has done nothing wrong.

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