Question Number: 25076

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 6/9/2011

RE: grade 1 Adult

Liam Mc Guirk of Finglas, Dublin Ireland asks...

This question is a follow up to question 5021

Not a question just a comment, i have just read the Gil Weber article on instructions to the ARs and while i found them interesting i would have one observation with regard to the offside instructions,with regard to the instruction to leave the flag up if the Ref does not see it, while i agree with this it could be added to by informing the AR that if the team that recieved the flag in their favour in the first place (the defending team)suddenly become the attacking team and so gain a substanial advantage where by they could possibly score it is ok for the flag to come down, i do not think the manager of the team that gained the advantage will argue if his team either score or at least test the opposing keeper and the manager of the offending team in the first place can not really say anything as the advantage rule has been applied, i have been in many games were Refs have not seen flags and ARs have taken them down if a clear advantage is gained.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Ref Weber's pregame instructions do make this distinction: 'Now, if you do raise the flag (and it's not a mistake which you immediately correct) then hold it up forever -- until I blow the whistle or wave it down ("Thanks very much"), or if there's a goal kick, or if I've gone completely asleep, until the defense takes the ball and there is no longer a threat of attack.' It's not really advantage; it's just that because of the passage of time and the continuance of play, an offside call no longer is needed. As I sometimes tell my AR's, 'Hold the flag until it doesn't matter any more.'

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Liam
In the US the advice to referee is that if the referee misses the assistant referee's signal for offside, the assistant referee should stand at attention with the flag raised until the defending team gains clear possession or until a goal kick or throw-in is awarded to the defending team.
Referee Weber is also saying that in his pregame instructions with his comment ' until the defense takes the ball and there is no longer a threat of attack.''
It just takes him a while to get there and the use of 'forever' does not sit well with the rest of the sentence.
So in essence the instructions are the same in both the US and Europe.