Question Number: 24531

Law 11 - Offside 1/26/2011

RE: N\A Professional

Greg of Cape Town, Cape Town South Africa asks...

I have a question:
With the new offside rulling.
Senario: players a and b are defenders.
Players c an d are strikers.
Player D is in an offside position when the ball is passed to player c by one of his team mates. His not interfering with play and continues toward to goals. The ball is crossed by player c to player d legally.45 angle. Is he on or offside?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Greg
When the ball is passed to Player C by a team mate, if Player D is not interfering with play or interfering with an opponent , even if he in an offside position, cannot be called offside.
Player C's play of the ball begins another phase of play and when he passes the ball to Player D that is the moment that Player D is assessed for offside. If Player D is in an onside position when the ball is played to him by C then it cannot be offside. Any previous offside position is ignored due to the new phase of play by C
It is not an offence to be in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

First event. Attacker passes to C. D is in offside position but has not infringed the offside law because D has not played the ball or interfered with a defender. Not offside. C may continue to play the ball.

Second event. C passes to D. D is not in offside position when the ball is played by C. Not offside. D may continue to play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

When the pass goes to C, D is not interfering in play, so there is no offside call. It is not an offense to be in an offside position.

I am not sure from your description what happens next. You say that the ball was played at a 45-degree angle to D, but you don't say in what direction that was (unless by the use of the word legally you mean to indicate that D is not in an offside position). When the pass goes from C to D, D's offside position is re-evaluated. If he was in an offside position when C last played/touched the ball, offside will be called because D is interfering in play. If D is behind the ball when C last touches it, D is no longer in an offside position, and offside is not called.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

it does not matter where D was when ball was passed to C who we assume was onside when ball was played. Offside resets every time one of D's teammates touches or plays the ball. So, when C plays the ball to D 'legally' you must mean that D was not nearer the opposing goal line than BOTH the ball and the next to last opponent. If he is onside as I describe he may become actively involved in play.
As far as the 'new' offside rule, the only change is for a player to be guilty of interfering with play, he must make contact with the ball