Question Number: 26062

Law 11 - Offside 3/12/2012

RE: Comp High School

Jon Bontz of Mill Valley, CA United States asks...

If a player is in an offside position, and a DEFENDER passes the ball backwards, but it deflects off another attacking player (unintentional touch with no purposeful redirection of the ball - it hit him in the back of the head), and then goes to the offside player, is it offsides?

The player was clearly in an offsides position and became involved in the play. The ball was played by an opposing player, but it was touched by a teammate. I called it offsides, but the attacking coach argued strongly that there was not intent to pass the ball and the goal should have been allowed. My AR did not make the call.

Who was right?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Was the attacker in offside position when a teammate touched the ball? If so, the attacker infringed law 11 by participating in play.

It does not matter that the teammate did not intend to play the ball or tried to avoid touching the ball. Any touch will do.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Offside violations do not require intent. As long as the other criteria are met, it doesn't matter if the touch by the teammate - or the active involvement in play by the player in the offside position - is deliberate or accidental.

So, assuming the attacker receiving the ball was closer to the opponent's goal line than both the second last defender and the ball at the moment it was touched by his teammate, you made the right decision.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Gotta love coaches. Of course the attacking coach wants a goal. Unfortunately for the coach, he doesn't understand Law 11, and likely doesn't even own a copy of the Laws Of The Game.

Law 11 is very clear and easy to understand. Here's the pertinent part:

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball
touches or is played by one of his team,

Nowhere is intent mentioned. Law 11 clearly says offside is judged when the ball is TOUCHED or played by a teammate. If the attacking player in question was in an offside position when the ball hit his teammate in the back of the head, he may not actively partake in play until offside resets. The moment he played the ball, he interfered with play and offside should have been called, as you correctly did.

Had the AR seen the ball hit the teammate's head, his flag should have gone up when the offside positioned player played the ball.

Your call was correct, good job.

I see only 1 or 2 mistakes you made:
1. There is no 's' on the end of the word offside
2. You may have let the coach argue too long since you say he argued strongly. Coaches have no right to even question your calls. We usually give coaches a little leeway but you should nip that kind of behavior in the bud. After a few seconds ask the coach to stop. If it's in your makeup you can certainly say quickly something like 'Offside doesn't require intent coach' or ' Offside only requires the ball be touched by a teammate coach now knock it off.'Don't get in the habit of allowing coaches to go on and on.