Question Number: 5126

Law 11 - Offside

RE: U15 boys Bronze Adult

DON KIDD of Coquitlam, B.C. British Columbia asks...

OUR LEFT WINGER TOOK A SHOT TOWARDS THE GOAL AT WHICH TIME THE LINE JUDGE RAISED HIS FLAG INDICATING THE CENTRE STRIKER 'OFF SIDE'. THE LEFT WINGERS SHOT HAD HIT THE LEFT POST (WITHOUT THE KEEPER TOUCHING IT) AND BOUNCED DIRECTLY TO THE CENTRE STRIKER WHO SCORED INTO THE EMPTY NET. WHEN THE CENTRE STIKER SHOT THE BALL THE REFEREE IMEDIATLEY BLEW HIS WHISTLE INDICATING OFFSIDE.THE REFEREES EXPLANATION WAS THE SHOT OFF THE POST WAS CONSIDERED A PASS THEREFORE THE CENTRE STRIKER WAS OFF SIDE. MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WAS A SHOT AND A REBOUND OFF THE POST MAKING IT A LIVE BALL. THEREFORE, THE CENTRE STRIKER WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE ORIGINAL PLAY, ELIMINATING HIM FROM BEING OFFSIDE. COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE CORRECT RULING ON THIS PLAY?.THANK YOU, DON KIDD

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Although the referee's explanation is awkward at best, if the center striker was in offside position when the left winger took the shot, then this is,indeed,offside. In fact, it is a classic example of a player gaining an advantage by being in an offside position; in this case the center striker. Remember, offside occurs at the moment the ball is last played or touched by a teammate and a player in offside position remains in offside position until that play is over. That is to say until the ball goes out of play, is replayed by a teammate or controlled by the other team, none of which happened here so the proper call is offside and no goal. There is an excellent video called Myths of the Game that has a great presentation on offside. Thanks for the question.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Don at the time of the shot the colleague of the shooter was in an offside position. From that position he may not gain advantage, interfere with play or interfere with an opponent until such time as he has regained an onside position and a colleague again touches the ball. (Of course any restriction to his play is removed if an opponent controls the ball because the opportunity to judge offside occurs only at a colleague?s touch.) ..As a knowledgeable referee we understand that it is not against the Law, in itself, to be in an offside position so the shot on goals is allowed. What happens is we keep in mind the offside player, if the shot is off target and rebounds to that player either from a goal post, the cross bar, the goalkeeper or any other opponent to him we must sanction the offside player for his involvement in play. So the correct decision is stop play for offside, disallow the supposed goal and restart play with an indirect free kick. The kick is taken from where that player was at the time of his colleague's shot on goals, subject to the special considerations of Law 8...Regards,

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

See Question: 28549