Question Number: 25756

Law 11 - Offside 11/19/2011

RE: Rec Under 14

Michael Arkin of New Hyde Park, NY USA asks...

The following Offside situation occurred in a game I was watching and was wondering if this is correct: offender in an offside position comes back into their defending half of the field to play a ball last played by their own team. I would consider this an offside violation because at the time their team last played the ball they were in an offside position and they got actively involved in the play. While I know that they cannot be in an offside position in their defending half of the field, I see nothing in the LOTG or the ATR that considers it NOT an offense if a player comes from an offside position to get involved in play in their side of the field. Am I correct or is this not an offside offense?

Thanks!
Mike

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
You are correct. The offside offence happened in the attacking half of the field of play. It just so happened that the touch of the ball to complete the offence happened in the player's own half.
The IDFK is taken from where the player was positioned in an offside positioned in the attacking half when the ball was played not where he touched the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Congratulations Mike! You have a good understanding of Offside. Offside is judged at the moment the ball is touched or played by a teammate. If a player is in an offside position at that time, he cannot put himself onside by running into his own half of the field. A player is not in an offside position if in his own half of the field WHEN THE BALL IS PLAYED.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

A player in offside position at the time the ball is touched or played remains ineligible to play even if the player moves to his own half. Offside position is based on when the ball is touched by a teammate, not when/where the player receives the ball.