Question Number: 27138

Law 11 - Offside 1/27/2013

RE: Adult

Jean of Decatur, GA USA asks...

attacking player, Paula, is about to pass the ball forward to striker, Sue, who is in an offside position. Player Paula sees that striker Sue is offside and holds the ball so striker Sue can step back in line with the defenders. Now that striker Sue is behind the defenders, if player Paula passes striker Sue the ball, is striker Sue able to receive the ball without an offside call against her? Player Paula has kept the ball at her feet and no other player has touched the ball from the time she received it and passed it.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jean
As described by yourself Sue is not offside because at the moment the ball was touched or played by Paula, her team mate Sue was not in an offside position. It makes no difference where Sue was until the exact moment the ball was played.
The challenge though for the referee and perhaps assistant referee is to determine Sue's exact position at the exact moment the ball was played. Coming back from an offside position means that the timing is critical and that can be difficult to determine.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Offside position is evaluated each time the ball is touched by a teammate. Thus, Players may change from being in offside position to onside position (or vice-versa) with each touch. It is not an offense to be in an offside position.

If the last time the teammate touched the ball, a player is in onside position she is eligible to play the ball. As Sue was even with the ball or even with the 2d to last defender at that moment, she is eligible to play the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sue is in an onside position when Paula passes the ball
Sue may play the ball regardless where she receives it