Question Number: 25317

Law 11 - Offside 8/17/2011

RE: competetive Adult

richard marnhout of pleasant hill, ca. u.s.a. asks...

I have often heard referees inform their assistants that in the case of an offside infraction that is followed by the ball going over the line, put your flag down and play will re-start with a goal kick.
Does this not give an advantage to the offending team,( especially younger players who can't kick the ball a long way ) insofar as offside remains in effect on an I.F.K. and not on a goal kick?
This policy is pervasive amongst youth referees, yet I have never seen it practiced in the professional game.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

What this instruction really means is that the AR has put the flag up too soon, and shouldn't have made an offside call. We have been instructed for several years now to 'wait and see' whether an offside-positioned player becomes involved in play or not. Without involvement by the player - in this case touching the ball - there is no offside call yet to be made. We can make a call before the attacker actually gets to the ball if we are sure she is the only attacker who could get to the ball. But if the attacker couldn't have gotten to the ball because it is going out for a goal kick, then despite her efforts at chasing it she hasn't become involved in play.

Now if the offside-positioned attacker actually plays the ball out for a goal kick, I would disagree with the referee's instruction to put the flag down. The attacker got involved in play and the call should be offside.

Beneficial field position has nothing to do with it. It's whether or not an offense has occurred.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

One instruction for a missed offside flag is to keep the flag up until: (a) the referee waves it down; (b) the defense gets clear possession and control of the ball; or (c) the ball goes out of play with a restart for the defense. When the last two has occurred, the offside infringement can be ignored as trifling - - it had no effect on the match. Moreover, the match is more enjoyable by allowing play to continue (or a quicker restart) than to stop and reset for (and usually an explanation about) the offside infringement.

As Ref Voshol explains, an instruction to wait until the player in offside position actually touches the ball (or interferes with a defender's ability to play the ball). Too often the flag goes up because the PIOP is only running toward the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Richard
The question is whether it was offside or not. If the ball goes out over the goal line or touchline without contact by the player in an offside position then it is not offside. The restart should be a goal kick or a throw in. If the PIOP touches the ball or interferes with an opponent then it is offside and the IDFK must be awarded.