Question Number: 26052

Law 11 - Offside 3/10/2012

RE: Intermediate Under 12

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26019

Hi:
Just one clarification. By passing backwards, I was envisioning this scenario. All the defenders (except the keeper) are on the opponents side of the field.

The first attacker (call him B) who gets the ball directly from the kicker can't be offside because there's no offside for receiving the ball directly on a corner kick.

All other attackers who are closer to the goal than the ball are in an offside position, so what I meant to say was that B could pass it to any attacker that was even with or further from the goal than the ball. So I pictured B dribbling toward the goal & when the keeper made a move, passing it backwards to a teammate who was further from the goal than the ball.

Thanks for pointing out the ambiguity.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
That is fine and the scenario you describe is not offside. Where offside could happen in this situation is that the attacker in possession of the ball passes the ball backwards behind him away from goal and an attacker who is ahead of the ball runs back from an offside position to play the ball in an 'onside position'. That is offside even if the ball is played backwards and the ball is touched by the PIOP in an onside position.
Clearly if the ball is played to a team mate who is behind the ball that cannot be offside in any circumstance.
Just pointing out that direction of the kick in determining offside is not a factor just the location of the ball and the players.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The reason we constantly say the direction of the pass is immaterial when considering offside is a pass can be made backwards but an attacker that was ahead of the ball and in an offside position cannot run back and legally play the ball.

what you describe is not offside as the players are even with or behind the ball