Question Number: 24741

Law 11 - Offside 3/28/2011

RE: Select Under 17

Douglas MacIntyre of Rockville, MD USA asks...

Player A on offense is in an offside position while Player B is in an onside position. The ball is passed to Player B who is onside. Player B then dribbles past the defense and passes the ball forward to Player A. Player A was BEHIND the ball when Player B kicked the ball forward. Player B then kicks the ball into the open net. The AR (who teaches many local referees) ruled that Player B was offside because he never reset his position to an onside position because he remained behind the defenders throughout the play. I maintain that his position was 'reset' once the ball went past him. The CR ruled a goal initially until he saw the AR's flag was up and went over to talk to him. What is the correct call?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I think you've mixed up Player A and B in this narrative, but your point is valid.

Offside position is determined each and every time a teammate plays/touches the ball. And many people forget that the first condition for being in an offside position is that you are closer to the goalline than the ball. If you are behind the ball, you are not in an offside position. It doesn't matter that you were in an offside position just 2 seconds prior; that determination is made again when your teammate touches the ball again.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
As described this is most defintely not offside. At no time did a player in an offside position interfere with play or interfere with an opponent. When Player B touched the ball he was in an onside position so there is no offence there. That either begins a new phase of play or offside is called on Player A for interfering with an opponent. That did not happen so we assume play moved on and when Player A receives the ball from Player B he is behind the ball so again he is not in an offside position when the ball was played so offside cannot be called here.
I'm really disappointed with this if the AR who trains local referees is getting the fundamentals of Law 11 wrong. Once Player B touched the ball everything as regards offside was reset and another phase began or offside was called on Player A for interfering with an opponent. The AR should know that position relative to the ball is as important in offside as position to defenders and that the movement of the ball by Player B reset the offside.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Player A was behind the ball when Player B played the ball. Player A was NOT in offside position. Player A is free to play the ball. I think you mean to say Player A kicked the ball into the net and the AR judged Player A to be offside not Player B.

This is VERY basic stuff and it's disturbing you have someone teaching other referees that doesn't understand offside position doesn't only deal with an attacker's position in relation to the opponents. I can understand new referees forgetting about the ball but anyone that is instructing referees HAS to know that for a player to be in offside position he has to be:
1. in the attacking half
2. nearer the opposing goal line than the next to last opponent
3. AND be nearer the opposing goal line than the BALL

and this is judged every time the ball is played or touched by a teammate.

The AR saying Player A never reset offside is ludicrous. Offside resets EVERY time the ball is touched or played by a teammate. When Player B touched the ball, Player A's previous position was immaterial. If Player A was now behind the ball at the moment the ball was touched by Player B, then Player A is not in offside position so there can be no offside offense.

If you know the AR that made this incredibly absurd call, and/or the CR that believed him, please show them our answers.