Question Number: 26368

Law 11 - Offside 5/21/2012

RE: Select Under 13

Joe Sereno of Gaylord, MI USA asks...

At our U12 girls tournament final there is a free kick. The defending team sets their line of players and one attacker comes down and stays two yards from the keeper. The keeper immediately starts yelling about the offside opponent but I ignore her as 'it is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position.'

Kick is taken and the keeper moves to catch the ball in the air. The opponent in offside position stays a few yards away but never moves to play the ball. At halftime we discuss this and the keeper's coach asks us about this.

But what about this scenario: If the keeper misplays the ball (having touched it) and the attacker in offside position plays it, then we would call offside as she gained an advantage by being in that position.

I would appreciate any comments if I am missing something on this.

Thank you very much for your time and service to the ref community.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The issue was whether the attacker in offside position interfered with the goalkeeper's ability to see or play the ball. That is easy when the attacker stands between the keeper and the kicker, since the only reason to be there is to interfere with the keeper's vision.

The further the attacker is from the zone of play near the keeper, the more you want to see the attacker do something that interferes with the keeper. Interfering with an defender can occur through movements, shouts, and gestures. But, you are correct that simply being in an offside position is not enough. If the attacker is standing still and silent at the right goal post, and the kick goes into the upper V at the left goal post, the goal should be allowed.

You are also correct that if the shot deflects against the keeper or the cross bar, the player in offside position (at the time of the shot) may not participate in play. It meets perfectly the definition for offside by gaining an advantage from an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joe
It is not an offence to be in an offside position. So unless the player in an offside psoition interfered with an opponent in this case the goalkeeper there is no offence. As you know "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.
The player could also be called offside if he "gains an advantage by being in that position" which means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a goalpost or the crossbar having been in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position.

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