Question Number: 35843

Law 11 - Offside 12/21/2024

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

This question is a follow up to question 35837

I'm not sure about the restart location. Isn't it more like where the player was when the assistant referee raised the flag?

I have a situation for that, I will also put VAR in there :-)

Situation:
A lone player in an offside position runs after a long pass. The assistant referee wants to raise the flag early (POINT A). The raising is delayed due to VAR. The player touches the ball (POINT B) and completes the action. The assistant referee then raises the flag.

The question is, where is the restart? Point A can easily be 30 meters from point B (A is close to halfway, B perhaps at the corner flag).

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
The answer as per the Law is that the indirect free kick is taken from the location of the offence. You may recall that Law 11 was brought into line with all other offences a few seasons ago when the IDFK is now to be taken at the location of the offence. That now includes the opponents half if that was the location of the interference.

There is no offside offence until the player in an offside position interferes with play or interferes with an opponent. The early flag is an outlier and a concession to where offside is certain to be called anyway which can also prevent collisions that end up as an IDFK anyway.
So in your example the IDFK is taken from the location of the touch that is when the flag was raised POINT B.

If there is an early flag it is POINT A assuming of course that the referee stops play for the flag.

Now when VAR is in use assistant referees have been advised that on goal scoring situations that the flag should be kept down until after the opportunity has been taken which could be a distance from where the PIOP first interfered with play or an opponent. In those cases the IDFK is moved back to where the offence first occurred that is the point at which the PIOP first touched the ball or interfered with an opponent.
In high level games ARs can be seen to be moving back out to the location of the touch after the flag has been raised for offside when the scoring opportunity has passed.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr,
a very Merry Christmas to you and family.
generally blade of grass restarts are not overly concerning on offside INDFKs from back in the defending third! The early flag raised to prevent a collision or indicate the PIOP will get to the ball before it exits the FOP are rare. But in both cases could be waved by the CR due in part to the REACTION of the POIP. I recall an AR popped a flag on a chased ball by the PIOP who simply stopped or slowed realizing oh oh and the keeper comes out to grab the ball no longer under threat of being challenged the CR simply lets play continue. I recall a zealous AR popped a flag on a PIOP some 20 yards away who tripped and fell and saw the flag so made no haste to recover. Defender moves over to secure the now uncontested ball? Why stop the match for an INDFK out? In both cases if the attacker PIOP had continued his unrelenting pursuit the CR likely blows for the INDFK which is likely taken close to where the ball is recovered or somewhere close to the end of the PIOP run. Personally, I am ok with anywhere in between but in cases of pursuit with absolutely NO one including a defender I think the restart should be -near- where the ball could of or would be touched. In cases where to avoid a collision exactly where the AR points to as interfering with the opponent by where the PIOP was when the flag was raised!
Cheers