Question Number: 23835

Law 11 - Offside 8/26/2010

RE: High School Adult

Barrie Monks of La Crosse, Wisconsin USA asks...

Defender A attempts to clear the ball up field, it hits the back of degender B and rebounds to an attacker in an off side position. Is he off side? Two thoughts, the attacker is gaining an advantage but the initial clerance from the defender was intentional.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

A player who was in offside position the last time a teammate touched the ball IS permitted to participate in play after the ball is possessed and controlled by an opponent. The issue for the referee is whether defender A's 'clearance' is a deflection (would not affect offside position) or just a poor play on the ball. (The touch by defender B by itself would not be possession/control.)

High school rules are the same as under the laws of the game.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Monks
You do not indicate how Defender A received the ball which has a bearing on the answer. You also do not describe the attempt to clear the ball whether it is a rebound / deflection or simply a mistake by the team in possession.
If I assume that the the defending team had possession / control of the ball and the clearance by Defender A simply hits Defender B rebounding to an attacker in an offside position that cannot be called offside.
If on the other hand the attempted clearance by Defender A was a rebound / deflection off a pass from an attacker and it further rebounds off Defender B then that should be called offside when the attacker in an offside position touches the ball. At no time did the defending team gain control of the ball and therfore offside was not reset.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Two things:

1. Where was the attacker when the ball was last played by a teammate. If he was onside then, the rest of the question is moot
2. Assuming the attacker was in offside position when his teammate played the ball, Defender A appears to have played and controlled the ball so there can be no offside. If for some reason the referee thinks Defender A did not control the ball, then the attacker is offside