Question Number: 25434

Law 11 - Offside 9/15/2011

RE: Varsity Match High School

John Kielty of Versailles, Indiana USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25377

I had a similar situation. Two Offensive Players in Offside Positions both between the Goal Posts about 10 yards in front of the Keeper. Defense gives up the ball on a miss clear attempt and an offensive player dribbles the ball between his two teammates who follow him into the goal area as he kicks it in for a goal. I called an Offside and the Goal was disallowed, However one of the other Officials questioned the call,(during the Half) because the player dribbling the ball took the shot and made no pass attempt. I explained that it was offsides because the two players in OSP actively got involved in the play by following alongside the player with the ball and (a) interfering with play (b) gaining an advantage by distracting the Keeper. So my question is this, was my call correct or should the goal have been allowed and no offsides called.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
On what you have written this was not offside. The players in an offside position did not interfere with play as that requires them to touch the ball nor did they interfere with an opponent as they did not prevent an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements in this case the goalkeeper nor did they make any gesture or movement which IMO deceived or distracted an opponent.
Being in an offside position is not distraction and the players in an offside position needed to do something, other than follow the play, that could be classed as interfering. In fact when the ball was dribbled past the two forwards they were then in an onside position ie behind the ball and any previous offside consideration was over. They were then fully entitled to get involved in active play should the opportunity arise.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

John:

A player in offside position who does not touch the ball should be called offside for only one reason: the player did something that interfered with a defender's ability to see or play the ball. Moving toward the ball is not enough. Being near the area of play is not enough. When in doubt, the player is not offside.

Your description does not suggest anything that actually interfered with the keeper's ability to see or play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Neither OSP player touched or attempted to play the ball so you have to ask yourself, did either interfere with an opponent, in this case the keeper? It is not an offense to be in an offside position.Unless one or both of these players somehow interfered with the keeper, this is a goal.