Question Number: 28367

Law 11 - Offside 4/25/2014

RE: College Intramural Under 19

Daniel Baratta of Tracy, CA United States asks...

This question is about offside.

Defender D1 has the ball close to the half line, and he is the last defender. Attacker A1 is about 6-7 yards behind him, and clearly in an offside position. Attacker A2 comes forward to challenge D1. D1 goes for a long pass. A2 turns around to avoid getting hit, but the ball strikes him in the back and rebounds to A1. Should this be called offside? At the time, I did not call it, because I thought it was not a deliberate pass from A2 to A1, so the attacker should not be penalized. However, reading the LOTG, it says 'the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his teammates'

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Daniel
Unfortunately you were incorrect. It makes no difference whether the touch was deliberate or not. As you say the LotG states ' the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his teammates'. There is no requirement for that touch to be deliberate.
In this instance the last touch was by A2 and as A1 was in an offside he was precluded from playing the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Daniel,

It doesn't matter whether either attacker intends to play the ball - all that's important is that there was an attacking touch. While unavoidable, A2 did touch the ball, hence if A1 then receives the ball he should be penalised.