Category: Law 11 – Offside

Law 11 – Offside

"Inventive" Refs

OFFSIDE: INVOLVEMENT IN PLAY

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Question:
I served as an AR today. Striker repeatedly positioned himself offsides and then made a run directly at goalie when his right forward shot on goal. After 3 such occurrences by the same player, I signaled offsides, as I felt striker was interfering with goalie by attempting to distract him with his runs even though his runs did not directly block the line of sight between goalie and right forward. Was I wrong? I am aware of the Passive Offsides implementation, but this just felt wrong. The opposing coach looked at me like I had sprouted a second head! Thanks.

USSF answer (September 14, 2011):
There is no such thing as “passive offside” or “offsides,” no matter what some people may say. A player in an offside position either remains in an offside position or becomes offside when his teammate plays the ball, depending on what occurs next.

It is tempting to raise the flag when a player attempts to interfere with his opponent, but to do so could affect the play. The AR must remember where the player was when his teammate played the ball and wait until the player actually becomes actively involved in play. If the ‘keeper is easily able to gain the ball, then to flag would simply slow the game down and aid the opposing team’s efforts. That is not the referee’s job.…

Law 11 - Offside

OFFSIDE QUESTIONS; NO HIGH SCHOOL QUESTIONS, PLEASE

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Question:
Offside and when to blow the whistle to award the indirect free kick. Currently I have had several discussions with coaches and referees concerning a certain kind of offside and when or if to blow the whistle/raise the flag to call it.

Our High School rule as stated in the rule book per this issue: It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position. A player shall only be penalized for being in an offside position if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by a teammate, the player is involved in active play by: a. Interfering with play or with an opponent; or b. Gaining an advantage by being in that position.

I will try to describe the scenario – The ball has transitioned from one side of the half line (team B offensive side) to the other (team A offensive side), approximately mid-way between the top of the penalty area and the halfway line (on team A offensive side). The team A defensive backfield has come up and formed a line at the halfway line.

One team B forward striker is still 3-5 yards in his offensive half from the halfway line. No team A defenders between him and team A Goalie, who still stands right in front of his goal.

Team B wins control of the ball (on team A’s offensive side) and sends the ball straight at team A goalie, directly over the head (approx 10 ft or more) of the lagging team B forward striker who is in the same position as described (an offside position). The ball lands approximately half way between team B forward striker and team A Goalie and starts bouncing/rolling straight to the team A goalie.

Situation A: Team B player does not make any play on ball (gives up) and it rolls to team A goalie who collects it and then clears the ball.

Ruling: No whistle, play continues.

Situation B: Both players start to run to gain control of ball. Team A Goalie, by several yards (very evident and clearly), collects the ball cleanly and clears it.

Ruling: No whistle, play continues.

Situation B(a): Same as B above, but goalie doesn’t handle it cleanly and it goes into his net.

Ruling: Goal is indicated for team B

Situation C: Both players start to run to gain control of ball. It looks very close as to who will win control, so prior to any touch by any player and/or the ball being closer to any player Ruling: Blow whistle, offside is called

Situation D: Or except for “Situation A” where the team B player clearly gives up on the ball and play – it is automatic.

Ruling: Blow whistle, offside is called

Your thoughts and advice would be helpful – Thanks

USSF answer (August 29, 2011);
We appreciate it when people send in questions, as this allows us to spot problems in referee training. Unfortunately, we CANNOT answer questions regarding games played under the rules of the NFSHSA. This answer addresses the same situations under the Laws of the Game.

Situation A — no offside violation and no whistle

Situation B — offside violation but “wait and see” and allow the play to develop, leading to no whistle and play continues

Situation B(a) — offside violation but “wait and see” and allow play to develop, leading to a whistle, goal canceled, and an indirect free kick for the defense (offside position attacker becomes actively involved in play by interfering with an opponent — acting to distract or deceive)

Situation C — offside violation, whistle, and an IFK for the defense (offside position attacker becomes actively involved in play by interfering with an opponent — acting to distract or deceive and specifically covered in FIFA Circular regarding avoidance of potential collision)

Situation D — we have no idea what ” Or except for “Situation A” where the team B player clearly gives up on the ball and play – it is automatic.” means and cannot comment unless it is clarified.…

"Inventive Coaches"

OFFSIDE? NO!

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Question:
a free kick from 25 yards, all players onside just after ball is kicked defenders step out leaving 2 attackers inside keeper parries shot to one of them he slots home? goal or offside….?

USSF answer August 28, 2011):
Score the goal. The key to the answer lies in two words in your scenario, “just after.” Because the two attackers were not in an offside position when their teammate played the ball, they cannot possibly be called offside.…

"Inventive" Refs

VIOLENT CONDUCT

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Question:
What is the rules for talking to a referee? Does a player have a right to ask a referee what he was penalized for or is there a strict ‘no talking to the referee’ policy?

My main question is about two incidents I was involved in the following two incidents at a recent game and I disagree with both of the refs decisions. In the first half while I was in an offside position, the oppositions defender turned to pass the ball back to his goalkeeper without realizing I was behind him. I intercepted his pass and scored but the referee said I was offside, surely I’m not offside if I didn’t receive the ball from a team mate?

The second incident happened with ten minutes left and the game all but over as we were leading 4-0. A team mate played the ball up the line too far ahead of me and left the oppositions defender with plenty of time to deal with it. He controlled the ball, took 3 small touches and brought the ball to the sideline where he deliberately hit the ball with force into a group of spectators on the sideline who were having a picnic and drinking from glasses. It was lucky nobody was hurt. He stood about 5 meters away from me as I took the throw in and I directed the ball straight at his face. The red sent me off for this. Should I have received a red throwing the ball at his face (I threw the ball correctly) and should he have been punished for almost injuring spectators?

USSF answer (August 23, 2011):
A player is certainly permitted to ask about the reason for an infringement being called, but the referee is under no obligation to respond with more than a general comment. Some competitions do have a no-talking-to-the-referee policy, simply to prevent problems on the field.

1. No, the referee should not have called you offside in this situation — if all is as you describe it.

2. in the first instance the opposing player should have been sent off for violent conduct for kicking the ball at the spectators. However that does not give you the right to take revenge on him for his act. Yes, you should have been sent off for violent conduct for throwing the ball in your opponent’s face.…

"Inventive" Refs

“DIRECTLY”

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Question:
In response to the May 18, 2011 question about the meaning of “directly” in Law 11, I imagined the following hypothetical scenario:

Red takes the throw-in, #7 is in an offside position. Ball is received and played by Blue, and no Red player gets to touch the ball. While meandering about in the Blue half near the halfway line, Blue #4 passes back toward Blue GK, with no Red player still having touched the ball since the throw-in. Red intercepts the backward pass and scores.

My instinct tells me that this should be a call for offside and disallowed goal, because the ball wasn’t deflected or misplayed, and it appeared that Red #7 was intentionally in that position to gain an advantage. At the same time, it seems to comply with the letter of the law, in that he was not guilty of an offside offense because the last time the ball was played by a teammate was the throw-in. Since the ball is not in play until the thrower releases it and it enters the field (my understanding), can #7 be called offside here? If so, why (if possible, refuting the arguments presented as if a referee needed to defend his call after the game)?

USSF answer (August 11, 2011):
No, Red #7 cannot and must not be called offside in this situation. Red #7 was indeed in an offside position when the ball was thrown in by his teammate, but that is not an infringement of the Law under any circumstances.

Why? The Law does not say that a player may never be be in an offside position during the game. In fact, Law 11 excludes a player in an offside position at a throw-in from being called offside directly. Law 11 also states that a player in an offside position may be called offside only if he (or she) is in an offside position at the moment a teammate plays the ball and the player in the offside position is involved in play. In addition, Blue, the defending team, took clear possession of the ball from the throw-in and thus Red #7 can not be called for offside until one of his teammates plays the ball and he becomes involved in play.

Finally, referees have to answer questions only from their assessor and in response to their own conscience.…

"Inventive Assessors"

RECEIVING THE BALL “DIRECTLY”

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Question:
The revised format of the Week in Review contains representative video clips and expert description and commentary from Michael Kennedy that is greatly appreciated. This type of approach serves to clarify a
variety of game situations and provides explanations of correct decisions based upon the Laws of the Game (LOTG). Michael also invites viewers to submit questions. My question and request for clarification arises from a subject covered in week 7.

The first video clip from week 7 shows a player in an offside position that was not punished for being in that position because he received the ball directly via a throw-in from his teammate. As mentioned in the presentation, Law 11 Offside states “There is no offside offense if a player receives the ball directly from: a goal kick or a throw-in or a corner kick.” Additional information on this subject is also provided in the USSF publication, “Offside Made Easy”, wherein the offside law is restated and the word “directly” is clarified to mean that no one else touched or played the ball.

Now, suppose that during the execution of a goal kick, throw-in, or corner kick, the ball is deflected off the head of: 1) a teammate, 2) a defender, or 3) both a teammate and defender (difficult to determine if just one) and goes to the player in the offside position. What is the correct decision?

For each of these three cases, please provide the correct decision based upon the LOTG along with any supporting reference in the LOTG or other official written documentation. If there are exceptions to Law
11 as written, please provide the rationale and reference to supporting written documentation (I haven’t found any, but there possibly could be–hence this email).

The aforementioned scenarios seem to have varying interpretations of law and resulting decision depending upon who one speaks with-referees, instructors and assessors. We would all probably agree that 1) referees need to make correct decisions based upon the written laws and other official publications that support sound decision making; and 2) official validation and written verification are preferred to unsubstantiated and unsupported individual views.

USSF answer (May 18, 2011):
In 2001 we ;published a document entitled “Speaking Directly,” which covers all these situations. Thank you for encouraging us to publish the article once again.

Speaking Directly

If a “direct” free kick is kicked directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal is awarded. (This is not the case with an “indirect” free kick, where a goal cannot be scored if the ball does not touch a second player — which can be the goalkeeper, who is, after all, also a player — before entering the goal.)

That is the primary meaning of “direct”; however, there are references in the Laws of the Game to “direct” or “directly” which do not apply to scoring goals. These references seem to confuse some referees:
– Law 11 states that there is no offside offense if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick
– throw-in taken by a teammate
– Law 13 and Law 16 declare the ball kicked from within a team’s own penalty area to be in play from a free kick or a goal kick only when it leaves the penalty area and goes directly into play
– Laws 16 and 17 tell us that a goal may be scored directly from a goal kick or a corner kick, but only against the opposing team
The use of “directly” in Laws 12, 13, 15, 16, and 17 is fairly clear: if the ball goes from point A to point B without interference, something can or cannot happen. That is not true of the use of “directly” in Law 11. Tradition and custom give us a slightly different meaning of the word “directly” in the context of offside.

If at a goal kick, throw-in, or a corner kick taken by his team, a player receives the ball directly from the restart, there is no problem. Nor should there be any problem at a corner kick, as it is physically impossible for a player on the field of play to be offside directly from a corner kick. The confusion arises at throw-ins or goal kicks when the ball is deflected or misplayed by an opponent and then comes to the teammate of the thrower or kicker who is in an offside position. In such cases, the referee must disregard the deflection or misplay of the ball by the opponent, as there has been no infringement of the Law. However, if the ball were to be deflected or misplayed instead by a teammate of the thrower or kicker on its way to the player in the offside position, that player must be declared offside.

…
"Inventive Coaches"

COACHES’ IDEAS ON OFFSIDE

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Question:
OFFSIDE NOT POSSIBLE WITH DEFENDER GUARDING POST?

Recently, I witnessed a U12 goal scored by working the ball in from a corner kick along the end line. Two attackers worked together to advance the ball to goal right along the endline. One of the attackers was standing on the endline if not out of bounds and received a 10 foot pass from the other attacker about 10 feet from the end line. That attacker received the ball and then passed it in front of the net for a third player to finish for a goal. To me it seemed clear that the receiving player on the endline must have been offside since the defending team did not have players on the goal line or in the net, but did have defender marking the near post. Three licensed and paid coaches later said a single defender on the goalpost, let alone 2 defenders, automatically makes the whole field onside. They also suggested that it does not matter if the goalkeeper is moved forward and that it only matters where the last non-keeper defender happens to be. I can not find any information to verify what they have said.

Please help….

USSF answer (April 20, 2011):
Coach, we strongly hope you misunderstood these “licensed and paid” coaches, because if what you remember them saying is accurate, we are all in a lot of trouble and referees working games involving these coaches and any of their players will be in for major problems when they attempt to enforce the Laws of the Game correctly.

For starters, no player can be called offside directly from a corner kick. As we read it, in your situation the critical action occurred after the corner kick had already been taken, when an attacker who was 10 feet upfield from the goal line sent a pass to a teammate who was “standing on the endline if not out of bounds.” At the moment this pass occurred: “the defending team did not have players on the goal line or in the net, but did have defender marking the near post.” Unfortunately, this accounts for only one defender. If that was indeed the only defender between the attacker and the goal line, then clearly the attacker was in an offside position and made contact with the ball when he “received a 10 foot pass,” then there was an offside infringement.

However, your situation omits the goalkeeper. Where was the goalkeeper in all of this? Certainly, if the goalkeeper was well upfield from this “defender marking the near post,” then the offside call would have been correct. If you and the “licensed and paid” coaches are simply ignoring the goalkeeper and the ‘keeper was in fact on the goal line, then the attacker was NOT in an offside position and could not be called offside.

Warning to all coaches, players, and referees: Very few coaches, no matter how many certificates they may have earned, are as well aware of the Laws of the Game as they believe themselves to be. (Unfortunately, we must admit that this sometimes applies to referees as well.)…

IFAB Circulars

INTERFERING WITH AN OPPONENT (WITH A TWIST)

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Question:
“An attacker in an offside position whose gestures or movements, in the opinion of the officiating team, cause an opponent to challenge for the ball has interfered with an opponent and should be ruled offside whether the attacker touches the ball or not.”

Just what gesture does a attacking player have to do? I have never seen this explained anywhere. No examples. Does the attacker really need to gesture or move?

Generally, in all the soccer I watch, if a pass is made to an attacker they do not need to do any special to get a defender to run over to them. This seems to say that if an attacker does not gesture or move there is no offside offense.

What if the only reason the offside attacker did not receive the ball is if the defender make a deflection or cleared the ball out of bounds as a defensive play on the attacker (who did not gesture or move)?

Does the defender really have to guess whether they should clear a ball based on the gesture or movement of the attacker?

Should the attacking team benefit by receiving a throw or corner from a play made against an offside attacker?

Is the referee right? No flag?

USSF answer (April 11, 2011):
Your introductory paragraph is taken from a position paper issued by U. S. Soccer on August 24, 2005, explaining a Circular issued by the International Football Association Board, the body that makes the rules we play by, the Laws of the Game. (No, it is not FIFA that does this, although FIFA is a powerful member of the IFAB.)

However, that document does not provide the full information you need. A later memorandum of March 25, 2009, should fill the gap:

Subject: Offside – Interfering with Play

Date: March 25, 2009

The first goal scored in the new MLS season (New York Red Bulls at Seattle Sounders, March 19, see accompanying clip) was the subject of controversy based on the argument that a teammate of the scorer was in an offside position at the time and had become involved in active play by interfering with play. The goal was from Sounder #17 (Montero) against the Red Bull goalkeeper #1 (Cepero) and the Sounder forward alleged to have been offside was #23 (Nyassi).

The following facts are not in dispute:
• Nyassi was in an offside position.
• Nyassi did not become involved in active play by gaining an advantage (historically, this is only an issue if the ball has rebounded from the crossbar, a goalpost, or a defender, which it did not in this case).
• Nyassi did not interfere with an opponent. He did not get in the way of a defender, make any movement or gesture which deceived or distracted an opponent, and, most importantly, did not block the goalkeeper’s line of sight (the attack came in from the goalkeeper’s left whereas the attacker ran from the goalkeeper’s right and was at least several yards away from the goalkeeper when the shot on goal was made).
• Nyassi did not interfere with play (no contact with the ball).

The assistant referee was well placed, in line with the second to last defender, to confirm these essential elements in deciding for an offside violation.  Accordingly, there was no offside violation and the goal was valid.

• The debate has been vigorous over the last several years regarding the way in which an attacker in an offside position can be involved in active play. The definition provided by the International Board regarding “gaining an advantage” is clear and based on concrete observable facts. The definition of “interfering with an opponent” involves various judgments but is generally clear in its application since the primary issue here is whether the interference results from blocking paths and/or lines of sight.

This memorandum confirms that “interfering with play” cannot be decided unless the attacker in an offside position makes contact with the ball.

In brief, blocking the line of sight or an opponent’s path while in an offside position comes under the heading of “interfering with an opponent” but the third element (distract/deceive) does take movement – i.e., merely standing there, in a particular place, is not enough (unless that “there” blocks sight/path), the attacker must do something, but that “something” has to be “in the opinion of the referee.”…

"Inventive" Refs

OFFSIDE OR IMPEDING?

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Question:
This occurred in a U13B game today.

Forward is lined up, even with the 18, but outside of the penalty area, a step offside, with a defender next to him. Through ball is passed beyond both of them. They both run for the ball. As the AR, I am thinking, forward is offside, but lets see who gets to the ball first.

Defender establishes position between the forward and the ball, and attempts to shield the ball over the goal line for a goal kick.

As they both move toward the goal line, following the ball, the center decides the defender is not within playing distance of the ball, whistles, and calls obstruction, awarding an indirect to the attacking team.

But doesn’t awarding obstruction imply the forward would have played the ball, or at a minimum interfered with play, which means he was offside?

USSF answer (March 12, 2011):
Unless we are misreading your question, the referee’s decision would seem to have been incorrect. We recommend for your (and the referee’s) reading this excerpt from the Advice to Referees (2010/2011):

11.4 INTERFERING WITH AN OPPONENT
“Interfering with an opponent” means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent. Interference can also include active physical or verbal distraction of the goalkeeper by an opponent as well as blocking the view of the goalkeeper.

A player who is in an offside position when the ball is played toward him by a teammate and who attracts the attention of an opponent, drawing that opponent into pursuit, is guilty of interfering with an opponent.

Referees are reminded that the reference to “playing or touching the ball” (see Advice 11.5 below) does not mean that an offside infringement cannot be called until an attacker in an offside position actually touches the ball. Please note: Here and elsewhere in the guidance for offside, “play,” “touch,” and “make contact with” are used interchangeably (as they are in the Laws of the Game and its Instructions). However, these terms are interchangeable only for the attackers. For the defenders, merely touching the ball is not sufficient in the context of an offside decision — they must actually play (possess and control) the ball, meaning that for them there is indeed a meaningful distinction between “touch” and “play.”

“Touching the ball” is not a requirement for calling an offside infringement if the attacker is interfering with an opponent by making a movement or gesture which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts that opponent.

According to the IFAB Circular of August 17, 2005: “A player in an offside position may be penalized before playing or touching the ball if, in the opinion of the referee, no other teammate in an onside position has the opportunity to play the ball.” Further, “If an opponent becomes involved in the play and if, in the opinion of the referee, there is potential for physical contact, the player in the offside position shall be penalized for interfering with an opponent.” In addition, referees must remember that the indirect free kick restart for an offside offense is taken “from the initial place where the player was adjudged to be in an offside position.

Therefore, the referee should have called the player in the offside position offside at the moment the defender was distracted by his movement and moved to protect the ball. The indirect free kick would be taken from the place where the forward was when the ball was played by his teammate.

In addition, we must also point out that your reaction—”As the AR, I am thinking, forward is offside, but lets see who gets to the ball first”—was the entirely wrong action to take. In these circumstances, it doesn’t matter who gets to the ball first; that reasoning would be used only when the race is between an offside position attacker and another attacker who started from an onside position. The very fact that the attacker’s action caused a defender to race with him to the ball is sufficient to stop, square, and raise the flag for what would eventually be an offside signal. What happened afterward (the alleged “obstruction”) was not the offense.…

"Inventive" Refs

OFFSIDE “AFTER” A GOAL IS SCORED?

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Question:
Offside “after” a goal is scored? I know, strange title. Here is the scenario. Player A takes a shot on goal while Player B is in an offside position. The ball is on frame and appears to enter the goal and completely cross the goal-line when Player B heads the ball the rest of the way into the back of the net.

Goalkeeper nor any defenders reacted in any way to Player B so it appears that he did not affect the play. Since a goal was already scored when player B played the ball, is offside called?

In this case, Player A and B have names: Christiano Ronaldo and Nani.
You can see a clip of the play here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvzPFEIJyoY

USSF answer (November 20 2010):
We cannot debate the results of a referee’s decision-making process at this level. That is a matter to be resolved between the referee and his/her match inspector.

No matter how it may look to us or the players, a goal is not scored until the referee says it is scored. There was a similar occurrence earlier this year at the World Cup, when the ball kicked by Frank Lampard of England clearly bounced well inside the goal and was then swept out by the German goalkeeper. We all know it was a goal, but if the referee disagrees, life is hard.

With those conditions stipulated, we can say with a high degree of assurance that, if the contact with the ball is not made until after the ball has entirely crossed the goal line into the net and if there is no issue of interfering with an opponent prior to the ball entering the net, there cannot be an offside violation. In short, there is no offside violation after a goal is scored.…