Question Number: 28240

Law 11 - Offside 3/8/2014

RE: Adult

spencer carter of Billingham, Cleveland England asks...

I have just played a match and received the ball in an offside position however the ball was played by the defender and not a team mate. the referee gave an offside decision because he said the defender played the ball back by accident. If he had played it back deliberately he said he would not have gave offside. Is this decision correct?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Spencer
This is what Offside Law 11 states
"gaining an advantage by being in that position" means playing a ball
i. that rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position
ii. that rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent having been in an offside position
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent, who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save), is not considered to have gained an advantage.''

Now in your situation the referee one assumes determined that the defender did not deliberately play the ball but that it was either deflected / rebounded from the defender in which case offside is not reset and offside was called.
If the ball was deliberately played or a poor play by accident it is not offside.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

'By accident' is an odd way to describe an offside decision. Offside position is not reset (and the player remains ineligible to play the ball) when the ball deflects off an opponent. Offside position IS reset when the player makes a 'deliberate' play on the ball. But, a poor play on the ball (or poor decision in not realizing where you were located) is still a deliberate play.