Question Number: 25997

Law 11 - Offside 2/24/2012

RE: Intermediate Under 12

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25983

I understand the 3 reasons for the 3 scenarios. I would like to make 1 change & see if the referee could/should do anything different.

PIOP is injured & on the ground. Let's assume the ref noticed, but waited to see if it was serious enough to stop the game or if the PIOP was able to get up. Now GK gets off a bad kick & opponent intercepts & gets off a kick toward goal. Ball deflects off PIOP, who is still on the ground injured, & goes into goal.

Can/should the referee decide that play should have been stopped before ball struck PIOP?

i.e. if the answer is 'No', then the restart should be a goal kick. If the answer is 'Yes', then restart is a dropped ball.

Thanks again for all your answers,

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Should the referee stop play because of an injured player on the ground? Yes, if ITOOTR the injury is serious. No, if the injury is slight. What is slight in a U19 match may very well be serious in a U12 one.

Should a referee stop play because a teammate of the player on the ground has an advantageous attack? No. One of the factors in judging (above u-littles) whether an injury is serious or slight is to observe how the teammates react. If they continue the attack, they probably don't believe the injury is serious. (At u-littles, players are probably oblivious to the condition of their teammates.)

What happens if the ball accidentally touches a player in offside position? Stop play. The PIOP is offside. Touching the ball is interfering with play. Accidental counts.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

As I said when answering the first question, the player lying on the ground could be dead and if he was in an offside position when the ball was played and it touched him, it's an offside offense.

But to your example. If the referee decided the player was seriously injured and stopped play, we restart with a dropped ball from where the ball was subject to Law 8.

Why do you say a goal kick is a possible restart? If the referee does not stop play for the injury and the player prone on the ground was in an offside position when his teammate shot the ball and the ball hits him, it matters not that the ball entered the goal. The player on the ground is guilty of an offside offense and the restart is an indirect free kick, not a goal kick even if the kick is taken from the 6 yard line

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
Once the PIOP interferes with play by touching the ball, accidentally or not, it is offside. The fact that the player is down injured makes no difference. Once it touches the PIOP the offside infraction is called.
As regards the decision to stop play because of an injury that is a matter for the referee to decide. If play is stopped the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.