Question Number: 25539

Law 11 - Offside 10/2/2011

RE: middle school Under 15

Jack Maples of Putney, Vermont U.S.A asks...

I was playing in a game and we were attacking I made a pass down the right flank and the person i passed it to was onside but the other striker was off but about 30 feet away and she called offside on the 2nd striker I said he wasn't interfering with the play but she responded by saying he didn't have to be he just had to be offside when the ball was played. Just wondering if thats the right call by the ref or not.
1 other thing she called it before anyone got to the ball.
thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jack
A player in an offside position can be called offside without touching the ball. In those cases the player has interfered with an opponent.
?Interfering with an opponent? means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent?s line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent.
Now from what you describe there is not enough information yet I would assume the wrong call was made and it was an early whistle on the assumption that the ball was going to be played by the PIOP.
So unless the PIOP interfered with an opponent no offside call can or should be made.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It sounds like you had an AR who was living in the past. There has been much emphasis from FIFA and USSF about 'wait and see' - make sure the offside-positioned player (OPP) is actually involved in play before making the call. Although even when IFAB changed the wording in the Laws a few years back, USSF said that if you have been calling it correctly according to our instruction, you don't have to change very much now. IFAB changed because far too many players were being called offside simply because of their position.

Depending on how your school officials are trained and certified, this information may not have reached them.

Unless, as Ref McHugh mentions, the OPP was interfering with an opponent somehow, blocking sight lines or access to play - then making the call earlier would be correct.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If the referee replied a player only had to be in offside position when the ball was played, she should re-read Law 11. The first line in Law 11 tells us it is NOT an offense to merely be in an offside position. In order for there to be an offside offense, the PIOP must interfere with play, interfere with an opponent, or gain an advantage by being in an offside position.