Question Number: 25133

Law 11 - Offside 6/25/2011

RE: Competitive Under 19

Peter of Toronto, Ontario Canada asks...

An attacker leaves the field of play during play under his own momentum going out over the goal line beside the opposing team net. He goes around behind the net and comes back onto the field of play just as his team scores. There was a defender on the goal line.
Question- Is he allowed to do that? If not what is the call. I don't think he is offside because there was a defender on the goal line.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
A player leaving the field of play through momentum as part of play is not an offence.
As regards where the player re-enters that is not an issue for the referee as long as it is done straight away, it is not done to decieve an opponent and also whether offside is a consideration.
As described I read nothing wrong here as the player has not interfered with play or an opponent.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Temporarily leaving the field is part of the normal run of play. What was not normal, however, is running behind the goal to return to the field on the other side. When done as part of a tactic, the referee should consider whether (assuming the player is in an offside position) the player's movement had deceived an opponent and affected the defender's play on the ball; if so, the player has 'interfered with an opponent.' In other situations, the tactic may be unsporting behavior.

As described, however, it seems that the attacker's conduct had no effect on play and can be ignored.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Peter, since a goal was scored just as he was coming onto the field whether he was in an offside position or not at that moment is irrelevant. He could not be penalized for being offside because he was not involved in active play.
You say there was a defender on the goal line. If there was only one defender there, perhaps the goalie himself, he could well be in an offside position - he needs to be even with two defenders, the penultimate one or have two defenders between himself and the goal. But you can be positioned offside all day and never be penalized for it. The momentum thing is part of the game but going around the net sounds fishy to me. It might have been OK but if he used it as a tactical thing I may have issues with it. The judge and jury on that day was the ref and it all boiled down to: 'in the referee's opinion'.