Question Number: 27022

Law 11 - Offside 11/19/2012

RE: Rec Under 19

Justin Harper of Baltimore, MD United States of America asks...

I had a situation that piqued my interest the other night and I wasn't sure what should have been called if the ball had went to the attacking player.

A free kick is set up just outside the eighteen for the red team. I'm lined up with the last defender, and just before a the kick is taken a red player runs past the last defender into an offside position. The defender; I'm assuming who gets caught off guard; reaches out and starts to grab and hold onto the attacking players arm. Granted this defender is still behind the attacker and leaving the attacking player in an offside position. The ball is played, but a defender manages to clear out the poorly served ball before it reaches the two I've mentioned. No whistle was blown, and play went on.

My question is, if the ball managed to make it into where the two players were, what should be called. The first foul which would be offside? (as the player being held is still closer to the goal line then the second to last defender)Or would the hold be called in the box giving away a penalty kick? I've asked some one else, and we were not totally clear on this. We say you could call the first infraction which was the offside. But then we think about, well should we punish the more serious offense? If two people shove each other, we are going to caution them, but if one throws a punch, we are immediately ejecting them as it's the more serious offense.

As I said, the other night, nothing happened, but i spotted this and was curious what would happen if the ball went to these two players. Small notes if needed: This was a recreation over 30 league play off match. The score was 0-0 late in the first half. I know this shouldn't have any bearing. But some people might like to know.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Justin
If the referee was off the view that the player was in an offside position only and not interfering with an opponent in the playing of the ball then the holding foul should be called. That can happen when the ball is elsewhere and the player in an offside position is / can be expecting a second phase of play. In that situation the defender cannot foul an opponent even one in an offside position.
If however the player in an offside position interferes with an opponent before that happens then offside should be called.
BTW committing VC against an opponent who has infringed the Laws such as offside the restart is for the 1st offence committed. The player is ejected but it does not change the restart of the 1st offence even if it is less / more serious. Penalising the more serious offence only happens when a player commits two offence simultaneously. The referee then punish the more seious one.
So in the scenario you describe I believe the correct decision in Law was a direct free kick or penalty for holding and a possible caution. I suspect though that the offence was not seen and perhaps if it was then viewed as having no effect on play. I had a situation in a game at the weekend where a defender took exception to an attacker for something that I did not see while the ball was in the penalty area and played away out for a corner. Technically it was a penalty kick for a push but the attacking team did not look for the penalty and a word with both players dealt with the situation.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The attacker is in offside position. But, it is not an offense to be in an offside position. The first question for the referee is whether the attacker has infringed the offside law by interfering with a defender. The attacker did not touch the ball, nor did the attacker affect the defender's ability to see or play the ball. The question for the referee is whether the PIOP is 'interfering with a defender' because the defender chose to grab and hold the jersey.

In the actual situation, IMO, the answer is 'not offside.' The defender is not making any challenge for the ball, and the offside law does not compensate for the errors by defenders. Moreover, there is lots of pushing and grabbing away from the ball. The referee might judge that the action by the defender was trifling - better served with a strong private word at the next opportunity.

Assuming a similar situation but with near the ball, it is a much tougher decision. A defender often will grab an opponent who is in a superior position as part of an attempt to play the ball. The referee might well judge the attacker's action were in the zone of active play and did hinder the defender's ability to see or play the ball which would change the decision to offside. OTOH, if the referee judges that the defender simply grabbed, held, and pulled down, as a cynical foul, the punishment could be very harsh. Holding foul (or penalty kick if inside the PA) and sendoff for the violent conduct.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

In the scenario you present, at least here in the US, there can be no offside offense. Being fouled by an opponent does not constitute interferring with an opponent. It was the opponent's choice to hold.
Had the ball reached these 2 players, the USSF has changed it's previous stance some years ago. Prior to their change, offside was deemed to occur the moment the ball was played by a teammate, hence the offside always occurred first. Confusion arose because of the wording of Law 11 which states :

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball
touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee,
involved in active play by:
? interfering with play or
? interfering with an opponent or
? gaining an advantage by being in that position

At the moment the ball is touched or played by a teammate, it's virtually impossible for a player to be interfering with play as he can't be touching the ball at the same time the ball is touching his teammate, he can't be interfering with an opponent, yet, and he can't be gaining an advantage as the ball hasn't gotten to him yet.

So, a few years back, USSF recognized the contradiction and took the position that until the offside positioned player actually touched or played the ball or interfered with an opponent, any foul committed would have occurred prior to the offside offense.