Question Number: 24587

Law 11 - Offside 2/15/2011

RE: Under 19

brian casey of Newmarket, on Canada asks...

A player is in an offside position when the ball is deflected by an opposing player right to him.

Is he still offside??

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brian
Yes he is called offside when he interferes woth play or interferes with an opponent. A deflection/rebound does not reset offside. The only way that a player can become onside again is either through the ball going out of play, a new phase of play has begun or the opponents gaining control/possession of the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Brian, first we have to be careful of what we say. There is a great difference between being in an offside position and being penalized for an offside offense.

The correct answer to your question is: you don't give us enough information to answer it.

You state that a player is in an offside position. Law 11 tells us it is NOT an offense to merely be in an offside position.

Then you state the ball is deflected by an opponent. A deflection by an opponent isn't going to change anything. You ask 'Is he still offside?' Is he still in an offside position? Probably. Is he guilty of an offside offense? I have no idea because the way your question is worded, I don't know who played the ball before it deflected off an opponent.

If you meant to say: a player is in an offside position when the ball is played by a teammate. Before the ball reaches this player it is deflected by an opponent. Is the player guilty of an offside offense if he touches the ball or does the deflection negate any offense? Then the answer would be, yes he is guilty of an offside offense as a mere deflection changes nothing.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 24594