Question Number: 24390

Law 11 - Offside 11/29/2010

RE: Competitive Adult

stuart olley of coquitlam, bc canada asks...

This question is on being offside. I have had more than one answer by active refs so I thought I would ask you. Lets say a ball was played through on the last defender (gk in his net) and 2 offensive players were 10 yards apart from each other square when the ball was played. Both offensive players were onside when the through ball was played and they go in as 2 players vs the gk because the last defensive player fell over and they had lots of time. Both offensive players are onside correct? Either player can pass to either player as long as a recovering defender does not join the play to put them offside correct? If true, then when both players were onside and going in on the gk could one player run 20 yards ahead and recieve a pass and go score? I say yes as both players were onside when the through ball as played. Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Law 11 (Offside) states that a player is in an offside position if, at the moment the ball is touched by a teammate, he is nearer the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second last line of defence (normally the sweeper).

At first, both attackers are in an onside position when the ball is played through to them, that's fine. They're not behind the 2nd last line of defence until after the ball is last touched by a teammate, so no offence can be committed here.

But, if one of those players receives the ball and stops, and his teammate runs in front of him, then the offside has effectively been reset.

We now have a new attacking touch, so we now need to consider the position of all players at this moment.

Is his teammate nearer to the opposing goal line (the goal line he's attacking) than the ball? Yes

Is his teammate nearer to the opposing goal line than the 2nd last line of defence? Yes

That player who's run ahead of his teammate with the ball is now in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Stuart
Offside is judged each single time the ball is touched by a player of the team in possession and it applies in all circumstances in the opponents half except from a goal kick, a corner kick and from a throw in. In the case you describe there is no offside in the original play. Once they both pass the defender offside consideration still applies and for the team mate of the player in possession to stay in an onside possession he must remain behind the ball. If he goes ahead of the ball he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent and he is in an offside position. Both is the key word. If the player not in possession stays behind the ball he is only nearer to the opponent's goal than the second last defender only which is not an offside position.
Put it in an extreme case. Let's say that the two attackers are in the opponent's half totally on their own with no goalkeeper. All opponents are in the other half after an end of game corner kick. If the player in possession passes the ball to his team mate who is ahead of the ball that player is penalised for offside when he touches the ball. Why? Because he is nearer to the opponent's goal than both the ball and the second last opponent all of whom are in the other half.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Yes and No. If both were onside when the through ball was played, either or both could run anywhere they want to collect the ball and still be onside providing the ball has not been touched by another teammate on it's way thus resetting offside. If when offside resets they are still onside they may play the ball. But your wording in your question is a bit confusing. You first ask if either player may pass to either player etc. If both players are still behind or even with the ball when such pass is made, still onside and it doesn't matter what the opponents positions are. You further ask could one player run 20 yards and receive "a" pass. That depends what pass you are talking about. If original pass then yes. If another pass then we have to know what the position of the player was when the pass was made