Question Number: 24558

Law 11 - Offside 2/5/2011

RE: Rec

Joe of SCS, Mi USA asks...

Player A is in a offside position between the opponents goalie and the last defender. The defender passes or heads the ball back to his goalie, but player A (opposing team) gets there before the goalie, takes the ball and scores. Would he be considered offside, since he was gaining a advatage? Or since the pass made by the defender hi cannot be offside ?

Joe

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joe
A good question and one that depends on the interpretation of what constitutes a rebound. As described in your question it is not offside. However if the ball is deflected, rebounds, misdirected off a defender's head, foot, knee etc while trying to clear a ball off an opponent's touch, then that will be called offside when a player in an offside position touches the ball or interferes with an opponent's playing of the ball. That is what is meant by the offside term of gaining an advantage by being in that position. If the header/pass is controlled or from a deliberate touch by a defending team mate that is intercepted then it is not offside as the defending team has control of the ball and opponents cannot be offside. It is the referee's opinion as to what is deemed control.
Where it gets difficult is in the situation where the referee interprets the touch of the ball as controlled compared to another's view that it was a rebound. The recent decision by an AR in the Arsenal V Everton game to allow play to continue on such a situation showed the different interpretation of what constitutes the level of control exerted on the ball by the defender to either allow play to continue or to call offside.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Offside position is considered at the last touch of a teammate. At that point, the position is set; it's as if it were a freeze-frame or a photo.

If the ball rebounds (deflects) off a defender - an opponent - after the offside position has been established, Player A is still not allowed to participate in play. This is the definition given in the Laws for 'gains an advantage'.

But if the opponent intervenes with a deliberate play of the ball, not just a rebound, offside is reset, and Player A is no longer liable for an offside call.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Joe. There can NEVER be an offside offense if the opponent last plays the ball. It is NOT an offense to be in an offside position. Offside is judged only when the ball is played or touched by a teammate.

To me, this absolutely is a black or white issue in that you have stated the opponent has played the ball. Since an opponent played the ball, no offside. If the opponent did not play the ball and the ball only deflected or rebounded off him, then we have to see who played the ball to that opponent. If the ball was played by a teammate when Player A was in an offside position then he may not become actively involved in play. If the ball was originally played by another opponent, there can be no offside.