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Soccer Rules Changes 1580-2000


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Question Number: 28597

Law 11 - Offside 7/13/2014

RE: Select High School

Todd of Lynn, MA USA asks...

A offensive player was just over the halfway line, in an offside position when his keeper was making a kick. The kick was taken and the player returned to his half of the field where he received the pass.

The referee called offside as he was in an offside position when the kick was taken, although he received it in his half of the field.

Is that the correct call? If instead of the halfway line, it was a player from the other team, I would agree it is the right call, so I'm thinking the ref was right, but I would love your opinion.
Thank you,
T

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Short answer YES correct decision if this was a clearance or a punt out . If you are within the opponent's half at the moment your keeper kicked the ball up field you are RESTRICTED from playing the ball EVEN if you return to your OWN half of the field. If it was a GOAL kick then NO, offside is not possible as it is exempt on that particular restart !

I remain a bit confused by the question you pose after you ask 'Is that the correct call?'

''If instead of the halfway line, it was a player from the other team, I would agree it is the right call, so I'm thinking the ref was right, but I would love your opinion.''??????
I can only assume that you mean the offside player is in behind the second last opponent in the opposition side of the field and runs back towards his own goal, past the second last defender to receive the ball?
He would still be declared offside when playing his own keeper's clearance kick whether inside the opposition half or had crossed over the midline back within his own half.

Key point on offside is NOTHING an offside restricted player can do on his own will RESET his restricted condition. There are only three stages of play that could allow a restricted offside player to rejoin active play.

One - a NEW teammate's touch of the ball (if he is no longer offside positioned)
Two - opposing player plays/controls the ball ( if he does nothing to interfere)
Three - the ball goes out of play (a restart resets or exempts offside position)
Cheers






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Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The offside call is correct. The key is the player's position at the moment the teammate touched or played the ball - - not when the player receives the ball.



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Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Todd
It is the position of the player at the moment the ball is played by a team mate that determines offside not where that player subsequently touches the ball.
In this case the indirect free kick will be in the opponents' half where the player was positioned offside not where the player touched the ball in his own half.
I assume that it was not a goal kick but rather a punt by the goalkeeper. A player cannot be offside from a goal kick, a throw in or a corner kick.




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Offside Question?

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

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