Question Number: 26186

Law 11 - Offside 4/16/2012

RE: AYSO Under 11

Bobby Medders of Knoxville, TN U.S. asks...

If a defender leaves the ball carrier to go cover a player who is in an offside position, leaving the ball carrier a clear path to a goal which he scores, should offside be called? A friend asked me the question, and I felt quite sure that there should be no call as the offside player didn't become active in the attack or interfere with the offensive player.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bobby
This is not offside. The defender has made an error in judgement by not closing down the ball carrier. The defender has the clear option of going to the ball carrier in the knowledge that the player in an offside position may not participate in active play. Unless the player in an offside position does something such as obstruct the defender's movement or line of vision or prevent him playing the ball then there is no offence.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

While many would feel that it's unfair, FIFA are very clear that drawing a defender out of position, even if that attacker is running, is not sufficient to consider an offence to have occurred.

Your reasoning is sound.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Why should the referee compensate for the defender's poor choice of who to cover? Unless the opponent in an offside position has interfered in some visible way with the defender, there is no reason to make an offside call. The visible way to interfere would be shouting at the defender to come his way, getting between the defender and the ball or any of several other choices.

But if the defender simply chooses to cover the wrong guy, woe is him.