Question Number: 24923

Law 11 - Offside 5/11/2011

RE: Select Under 13

KW of Concord, CA USA asks...

Regarding TI and an offside call I witnessed. Team A throws ball in, in their attacking end. Team A has a player (#21) legally in the offside position prior to TI, ball thrown in deflects off shoulder of another Team A player (#31)who is onside. Ball goes without additional touches to Team A #21, who dribbles in and scores. Is this offside offense?

What if player positions were the same and the thrown in ball deflected off a defender, directly to A #21. This to me seems to be an ok play, no offside called. Please clarify, and thanks in advance.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi KW
A player cannot be offside directly from a throw in. However in situation one the ball has not come directly from the throw in but from a touch off #31. As #21 is in an offside position the player should be called offside when he interferes with play.
In situation 2 the ball has come from a throw in and then off a defender so that is not offside.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Yes, if #21 was still in an offside position when the ball touched #31. Offside resets every time the ball is touched or played by a teammate.

If a defender touches or plays the ball in this scenario it's like the defender wasn't even there. Since this was a throw-in, #21 is allowed to be in an offside position and may play the ball. If this had been a free kick or during active play, the ball touching the defender still changes nothing only now #21 would be offside if he plays the ball because he was in an offside position when the ball was played by his teammate and it was not at a goal kick, corner kick, or throw-in.