Question Number: 26226

Law 11 - Offside 4/23/2012

RE: Competitive Under 15

Mike Holbrook of Moraga, CA USA asks...

I've always understood there were three exceptions to the offside rule. Can there be offsides on a shot. The actual shot, not a rebound. The case in point was our left forward made a run and closed the angle to the goal. As she looked ready to cross the ball, she instead took the low probability shot. Our two forwards were both well offsides at that point and it looked like the goalie clearly moved out to address that threat, leaving the shot to the left post open. I was thinking that if the shot itself is not an exception to the offside rule and the two players in the offside position clearly influenced the play, that it would be offsides. That said, I've never seen it called and presume I am wrong.
Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The exceptions to offside are when the ball is played directly (meaning it hasn't touched another player) from: (a) a goal kick; (b) a corner kick; or (c) a throw-in.

The offside law is fully in playing during a free kick.

On set plays, the referee must judge whether a player is offside position has interfered with the ability of the defender (in your example, the keeper) to see or play the ball. Simply being in offside position is not enough.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
The question the referee and assistant has to answer is whether the players in an offside position interfered with an opponent in this case the goalkeeper.
The offside term "Interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent. being in an offside position is not enough nor does Law 11 compensate for error of judgement.
In this case the goalkeeper assumed incorrectly that there was going to be cross and moved to anticipate that. That is an error of judgement and as a result the players in an offside position did not obstruct the GK's view nor did they distract the goalkeeper which means that it is not offside.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

One thing that a lot of people don't realise about the offside law is that if a defender moves out of position to cover an attacker who's in an offside position, then this doesn't mean an offence has occurred.

While an offence has occurred if a player in an offside position distracts and opponent, simply being in a field position and moving around doesn't satisfy this criteria. FIFA have said that referees aren't to blow the whistle simply for a decision the defence has made to mark that player. They essentially state it's the defender's (or in your case, the keeper's) mistake, and their problem.

A lot of people don't like it, but that's how it is.

So how can offside be relevant in your scenario? If either player has impacted upon the keeper's ability by being in his line of sight of the ball, then this is an offence. Additionally, if either player's presence has physically interfered with the movement or path of the keeper, then this is also an offence.

Even if those player's don't move - they could even by lying on the ground, slightly injured - they could still have committed an offence by doing one of those things.

Of course, if it clearly hasn't had any effect whatsoever on play then I wouldn't be blowing the whistle.

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

See Question: 26920