Question Number: 19044

Law 11 - Offside 5/9/2008

RE: Rec, Club, and HS Adult

Joe M of Waldwick, NJ U.S.A. asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18999

In Question 18999, the AR writing states his CR informed him "the player who does not receive the ball but uses his offside position to create an advantage applies only in and around the goal area".

The answer by Keith Contarino states the CR spoke correctly... Is it possible there is a misinterpretation here? I am not aware of any offenses that only incur "in and around the goal area"...

Also, to quickly address another question not yet answered, where the question was posed about a fellow attacking teamate (A2) being ahead of his teamate (A1) carrying the ball, without two defending players between A1 and A2 because the ball had been received onside and carried by A1 past all defenders, wouldn't A2 now be offside by virtue of the fact he was ahead of, not even with, the BALL at this point?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I read the question and my take was

The AR saw interfering with an opponent and correctly in his opinion raised the flag. The referee choose to disregard the flag claiming the onside player was free to take possession and the two offside team mates did NOT affect the play in any significant way.
The AR incorrectly explained his reason as gaining an advantage and the referee's explanation is also suspect given he lays claim only to the goal area whereas gaining an advantage off a deflection could occur anywhere in the opposition half. Considering the incident concerns the possibility of interfering with an opponent as the only real criteria to focus on

Now I am puzzled by last item {question not yet answered} is this a different question then 18999?
If a player while inside the opposition's half is ahead of the ball being dribbled by his team mate and is also in behind the last two opponets as in nearer to the opposing goal line then either them or the ball he is in an offside position. I fail to understand why two defenders between A1 and A2 count as anything? As the first player carries the ball towards the goal if his team-mate is running ahead of the ball with or without two defenders in-between it makes no difference. Only if there are not two opponents nearer than A2 to the opposing goal line one of which could be the keeper is the offside criteria even considered.
If the A2 stays in an offside position he will be evaluated only if he interferes with play or an opponent or if he gains an advantage at some point. A1 can play the ball forward and A2 can stay out of the way while offside with no penalty. A2 is re-evaluated at each touch of the ball and once A1 carries the ball past him at that point A2 is no longer offside positioned as he is not nearer the opposing goal line than the ball whether or not there are two opponents in the mix.
Cheers


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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

"Gaining an advantage" refers specifically to a narrow set of circumstances and this is why I said the CR spoke correctly. What the offside players did in that question had nothing to do with gaining an advantage as we are told to understand the phrase by FIFA and USSF. The infraction was interfering with an opponent. Here is what Advice to Referees says "means playing a ball that rebounds to the player off the crossbar or a post or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position. It also means being near enough to play to capitalize immediately on a defenders mistake, having gained the advantage solely by being in an offside position. It is most often seen in situations where the ball rebounds from the crossbar, goalposts, or keeper (whose contact with the ball is not controlled). FIFA and USSF had to specify this as referees were making virtually anything into somehow gaining an advantage. The CR I referred to was correct in pointing out that usually this occurs near the goal where an offside player receives a rebound but you are correct that this isn't the ONLY area that an offside player may gain an advantage as understood by FIFA and USSF. As to your second part, yes A2 is now nearer than BOTH the next to last opponent and the ball so is in an offside position

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