Question Number: 25971

Law 11 - Offside 2/15/2012

Paul of Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A. asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25969

Just a friendly observation that MIGHT need clarified--- The question was 'is the #1 attacker offside, if he/she receives the ball in this position? and why?'
Something you all know, but PERHAPS the poster was unaware, the location of where the player is when they RECEIVE the ball is not relevant to judging offside, what matters is where they were when the ball was last touched by the team mate.
With this in mind, it is quite possible that the player was actually onside for the play in question.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hey Paul. Always glad to hear from a fellow Georgian.

In the question posed, the diagram shows attacker #2 beside the ball and says 'ball being kicked'. While what you say is absolutely correct, in the diagram, attacker #1 is in an offside position as the ball is being kicked. At least that's the way I read the question and apparently my fellow panelists.

I think the question was put to us as a 'Is the keeper considered when counting the defenders for offside?' We get that question routinely as there seems to be a myth that the keeper doesn't count when judging offside.



I read our answers over. Ref Wickham does point out the necessity of position when the ball is last touched or played by a teammate. I reworded my answer so as to be sure we were looking at positions of all the players at the moment the ball was kicked by Attacker #2 in case there was any confusion.

Thanks for pointing out something I didn't even consider but certainly was possible.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Paul
Good point and it was assumed that the way the question was posed that the # 1 Attacker was in that position when the ball was played.
As you rightly elaborate offside is determined based on the locations of the players when the ball is last touched / played by a team mate. It is not where the PIOP touches or receives the ball and the IDFK is taken from the offside location not always where the ball is touched by the PIOP.

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

See Question: 25994