Question Number: 25899

Law 11 - Offside 1/18/2012

RE: Travel Under 17

Bill of Boston, MA USA asks...

Assume an attacking player is midfield and clearly in an offside potition. His teammate sends the ball into the corner on his side. He starts running toward the ball and doesn't interfer with defenders because he is ahead of them. When should the offside be called? When he touches the ball or when he gets near it? If he stops a few yards away from the ball that has stopped and allows a defender to get it because he knows that he is offside, would he have gained an advantage if he then challenges for the ball?

And is the free kick taken back at the spot where he was when the ball was first sent by his teammate?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bill
The AR should adopt the wait and see approach. The player is not called offside until he interferes with play or interferes with an opponent. If the AR waits until the ball is touched then there is no question that it is offside. However should the PIOP change his mind and stop before he gets to the ball or he does not interfere with an opponent then there cannot be offside.
When Law 11 was amended in 2005 IFAB introduced a clause which stated
"A player in an offside position may be penalised before playing or touching the ball if, in the opinion of the referee, no other team-mate in an onside position has the opportunity to play the ball.
If an opponent becomes involved in the play and if, in the opinion of the referee, there is potential for physical contact, the player in the offside position shall be penalised for interfering with an opponent."
In some parts of the world including Europe this clause is now being used incorrectly. ARs are flagging for offside in situations where it is not offside such as where the ball goes out of play for a goal kick or a throw in or where the ball has clearly gone to an opponent with no interference. The incorrect early flag is used when the AR is of the opinion that the chasing forward will play the ball and not change his mind nor is there an onside team mate present who is capable of playing the ball. That approach makes for a 'neater' offside call in these instances with, instead of the AR following the ball perhaps for 20/30 yards before raising the flag, the call being made instantly on an assumption. Funnily enough it is rarely challenged yet it does lead to confusion in the interpretation of Law 11.
In relation to your question the IDFK is always taken from the position of the player when the ball was played not where he touched it. As regards how close does the referee allow a forward to get before he interferes with an opponent is a matter of opinion. If the PIOP has closed a defender down in the corner just as he touches the ball then that is IMO interfering. If the defender gains control in open play and moves the ball away with the PIOP say 5/8 yards away then that generally is not offside. However a 1st touch mis control could change that situation. Finally gaining an advantage by being in that position is a unique term in Law 11 and it is used to deal with deflections / rebounds to a PIOP. It should not be confused with being advantageous.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Running toward the ball is not enough to infringe the laws.

The player in offside position (PIOP) will be guilty of 'interfering with an opponent' when she hinders any defender's ability to play the ball. This usually happens as soon as the PIOP is between a nearby defender and the ball.

When there is no defender near, the referee and assistant referee must wait. The PIOP will be guilty of 'interfering with play' if she touches the ball. But, there is no offside is another teammate (coming from an onside position) first touches the ball. (While the laws recognize that play can be stopped if no one from an onside position will be able to touch the ball first, the US interpretation is that the only way to know is to wait to see who touches the ball.)

A common strategy is to have an unmarked, clearly in offside position, player make an initial run toward the ball and then stop. A player from onside position then has an opportunity to try to score.

A common error is to think that the PIOP has "gained an advantage" from being in an offside position. But, those words have a specific definition - - it applies only when the PIOP has TOUCHED the ball after a deflection.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If there isn't another teammate of the PIOP who can get to the ball before the defenders catch up, the call can be made. But the AR needs to absolutely certain there is no other onside attacker who can get there, which is why USSF stresses we should wait until the PIOP touches it or is near enough to touch it. This assumes said player in the PIOP is not interfering with an opponent.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 25914