Question Number: 33875

High School 2/8/2020

RE: High School

Greg Kall of Hilllsborough, CA USA asks...

Attacker A1 dribbles the ball past midfield and is fouled by a defender, but is given Advantage and immediately plays the ball to attacker A2 in an offsite position. Should the foul recognized, positioned at the point of the infraction with DFK restart? or should A2 be called for offside?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Greg,
The NFHS Rules say that:

''If the referee applies the advantage, which was anticipated but does not develop at that time, the referee shall penalize the original offense.''

Then there are a couple of play rulings describing specific situations. The only one of those scenarios where the ruling says the advantage has properly developed is one in which the fouled player continues on and gets a shot away.

Since none of the play rulings directly matches your scenario, I would say the referee still has a fair amount of leeway to decide, based on the main wording.

So if the referee judges that there was no advantage at the time, they can penalize the original offense.

If however the referee feels that a true advantage did develop and was not capitalized on, then they could allow play to continue.

For me personally, based on the way you describe it, mostly because of the speed with which the fouled player released the ball, I'm not sure any real advantage has developed for the fouled player and their team and I think I would be minded to go back and penalize the original offense. YMMV

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Greg,
ADVANTAGE = POSSESSION + OPPORTUNITY
A player may have the ball, but if they have no options - eg have opponents closing in fast and there are no free teammates - then they have no opportunity.
So, why was the pass made to the PIOP?
Was the attacker in a situation where there was no other option, or did they have several options and simply chose the wrong one?
If the latter, then the advantage has materialised and they've squandered it.
If the former, then there may be a case for going back to the foul.
Advantage isn't about giving '2 bites at the cherry' - but the referee needs to consider all the opportunities available and whether there really is an advantage to realise.
One thing in particular to consider is how the field position changes from pre-foul to post-foul. Usually it takes a few moments, maybe half a second to a second to recover from a foul. Was that attacker actually onside before the foul - that is, did the foul actually give the defense time to push the attacker into an offside position, or did the foul mean that a well-timed run became an ill-timed run? Again, if so, then this may indicate that the foul still called a loss of opportunity.
It's worth pointing out that different regions apply advantage differently. In most parts of Australia, we hold off on declaring Advantage until after it's clear that the advantage has materialised (compared to some regions which declare it early when it's still doubtful) - and once it's declared, we're not allowed to go back. But the same considerations apply - if we're in that 'consideration' time and the player just squanders the potential advantage, then that's on them - though it's rare for that particular situation to come up; quite often the opportunities are clear and we're still able to declare Advantage immediately.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Greg
It does not read to me that there is a possible advantage here so play should be brought back to the original offence.
Having said that if the fouled against player has had time on the ball after the offence and it is obvious that play had continued for a short period with a poor choice being made then it is play on.
FIFA suggests a time of * within a few seconds* usually 2/ 4 for advantahe whereas NFHS say that when the referee applies the advantage, which was anticipated but does not develop at that time, the referee shall penalize the original offense.
Both are saying the same thing and to me if the advantage is not possible then it should be brought back.
Having said that just looking at a game in the English Championship where there was a foul, ball goes to a team mate who controls the ball, advantage called and the ball is passed to another team mate who launches the ball forward which goes astray and the referee brought it back to the foul.
Finally a factor to consider is whether this level can use advantage calls. Higher levels make better choices with the ball whereas lower levels do not and tne best advantage can be the free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Greg,
using your timeline when formulating IF advantage has yet to unfold, given there is no advantage to pass the ball to the offside teammate, best go with the foul.
As you indicate this is a bang bang situation, not a long delay where having acknowledged the advantage was fully established with PLAY ON! as in a continued dribble into a safe space. If ONLY later the offside pass is made then opportunity for a continued attack was squandered with a bad decision. The foul is of greater consequence than an offside and a free kick for is better than loss of possession and an INDFK against!
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 33877