Question Number: 27239

Law 11 - Offside 3/13/2013

RE: Competitive Under 16

Brian Duddy of San Bruno, CA USA asks...

A player from team B has the ball. A player from team A (A2) is standing behind him in an offside position, not interfering with play. B attempts to kick the ball forward, but it deflects off A1, who had been challenging for the ball but did not end up kicking it. The ball deflects straight to A2, who controls it and dribbles forward. Should A2 be penalized for offsides?

[Also, why are new answers not being posted to the home page of this site, only to 'Recent Questions'?]

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Brian,

Intent is not a prerequisite for offside. As such, it doesn't make any difference if the attacker who touched the ball meant to or not (or, on that note, whether the infringing attacker meant to become involved in active player) - it's still offside.

Law 11 states that the position is considered at the moment the ball is 'touched or played by a teammate'. That line supports my answer.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brian
This is offside. Law 11 makes no difference between played or touched. So when A2 was in an offside position and the ball was last touched by A1 that will be called offside when A2 interferes with play by playing the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Brian. Thanks for pointing out the question snafu on our home page. I've notified our site owner of the situation and he is looking into it.

I'm having a very hard time visualizing your question. If a player from Team B is controlling the ball, I'd assume Team B was attacking or at the least moving the ball away from their own goal. How then, could a player from Team A(A2) be in an offside position if BEHIND the Team B player who has the ball. The Team A player)A2) would be behind the ball and if behind the ball he would NOT be nearer the opponent's goal than the ball, one of the 3 things requisite for offside position.

Even if the Team A player(A2) was in an offside position when Team B played the ball, we still don't have enough information to make a call. Where was the Team A player(A2) at the moment the ball touched his teammate (A1)? Offside is judged only at the moment the ball is touched or played by a teammate. You have told us only where (A2) was when B played the ball. (A1) was challenging for the ball when it was played and some amount of time had to take place in the interim when the ball was played and it deflected off (A1). Positions change rapidly on a soccer field.