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Soccer Rules Changes 1580-2000


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Question Number: 28581

Law 11 - Offside 7/7/2014

Jaewan of Yardley, PA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 28508

A ball bouncing off a defender cannot reset the attacker's position as being offside, so if a ball bounces off a defender and an attacker previously in an offside position 1) interfering with play or
2) interfering with an opponent or
3) gaining an advantage by being in that position
offside call is the correct one.
However, if a defender plays the ball while an attacker is in an offside position, and that attacker gets involved, it should not be offside.
If a defender plays the ball to another defender without recognizing an attacker in an offside position, and she subsequently intercepts the ball, she is not offside.
Similarly if a defender clearly plays the ball back to GK, by foot, chest, or head, and an attacker who was in an offside position subsequently pounces on it, she is not offside either.
The key is the difference between intentionally played ball versus inadvertantly deflected ball. Referee has to decide whether the defender had the intention of playing the ball as she did.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jaewan
I would not disagree with any of your statements on offside.
The challenge for many is determining when the ball is played and when it is deflected. Sometimes there is a fine line between the two.



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Answer provided by Referee richard dawson

I will quibble slightly intentional or inadvertently is not truly the determining factor
An attacker in an offside position (B) is penalised for playing or touching the ball that rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by a player from the defending team (C) having been in an offside position when the ball was last touched or is played by a team-mate.

Also an offside attacker could be guilty of offside simply by his positioning if he is within the line of sight of the incoming ball and defending opponent
affecting how the ball could be challenged for.

You are correct though, a mistake by a defender not affected by ANY offside attacker challenging prior to receiving and playing the ball is a gift and a thank you should be included lol
Cheers



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Offside Question?

Offside Explained by Chuck Fleischer & Richard Dawson, Former & Current Editor of AskTheRef

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