Question Number: 27052

Law 11 - Offside 12/6/2012

RE: Under 14

Joe of Toronto, Ontario Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 7410

You are offside and your teammate sends you a ball. You fake a shot causing the goalie to flinch and jump toward the side of the net and a teammate that was onside gets the ball and shoots it. If he scores, are you called on being involved in the play?
What about if you dummy the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Joe,

One way you can become involved in active play is by interfering with an opponent. This includes actions which distract or deceive and opponent.

A dummy, feint or similar action is intended as a distracting/deceiving action, so if the referees believes such an action has had an impact on play then you could certainly be penalised for an offside violation.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is not an infringement to be in an offside position.

But, it the player in offside position interferes with the ability of the keeper (or any other defender) to see or play the ball, that would be an offside infringement for interfering with a defender. The closer you are to the play, the more likely the referee will judge interference with a defender.

There are times when the poor position of the defender/keeper or the location of the shot is such that the player in offside position cannot hinder their ability to see or play the shot. Then, even a dummy of the ball would not be enough.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joe
A fake shot by a player in an offside position which cause a player to be deceived such as a dive by the goalkeeper expected the ball to be played would be considered under Law 11 as 'interfering with an opponent'.
As regards a dummy again it would depend on the circumstances. If the dummy was the 'normal' one of deceiving an opponent in tight proximity into thinking the ball is going to be played and it is not then that has interfered with an opponent and it will be called offside on the PIOP. If on the other hand the PIOP simply lets the ball run past him then that is not.
Interestingly in a recent UK Premier League game Van Persie of Manchester United was called for offside on a 'dummy' when he knew he was coming back on his own from an offside position. IMO the early offside flag was incorrect as in that situation he did not interfere with an opponent nor did he interfere with play by playing the ball. The offside was given, there was a small protest by Van Persie and the game restarted quickly with the IDFK
I have noticed in the recent past that many ARs are 'creeping back' to the pre 2005 of the concept of 'active play' by moving towards the ball. These AR are now using the lone player in an offside position advice Memo 987 issued by IFAB in August 2005 . This was a perfect example where IMO offside should not have been called on a 'dummy'.