National Program for Referee Development 1 of 56Law 11 LAW 11 Offside

National Program for Referee Development 1 of 56 Law 11

LAW 11

Offside


Objectives

• list the three restarts where there is no offside offense• state what constitutes involvement in active play• identify offside position• apply a uniform interpretation of the Offside Law in all

situations

At the end of this lesson the student will be able to:


TOPICS

1. Explanation2. Elements of the Law

a. Offside positionb. Involvement in active playc. Judgementd. Not offsidee. Sanctions

3. Lots of examples


ELEMENTS OF THE LAW

Position• nearer to opponent’s goal line than the

ball and• the second last opponent (last but one)

Unless • is in own half of the field• is level (even) with second last opponent• is level with the last two opponents


ELEMENTS OF THE LAW Timing

• at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of their team

Opinion of the referee to penalize• involved in active play by:

• interfering with play• interfering with an opponent• gaining an advantage by being in that

position


ELEMENTS OF THE LAW

• It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position

• Judgement of offside occurs at the moment the ball is touched or played by a teammate - not - when the player receives the ball


ELEMENTS OF THE LAW

There is no offside offense if a player receives the ball directly from:

• a goal kick• corner kick• or a throw-in


ELEMENTS OF THE LAW

“For any offside offense, the referee awards an indirect

free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place

where the infringement occurred”

Not where the whistle sounded!


AREA OF ACTIVE PLAY

Is that sector of the field where players

actively participate

in that play


Determination of Offside Is the player in the attacking half? Is the player nearer the goal than the ball? Is the player nearer the goal than the

second last defender?

Is the player interfering with play or an opponent? Is the player gaining advantage?

IF yes to all above, then:

IF yes to either above, then Offside, otherwise no infraction


OFFSIDE POSITION?


INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?


AN INFRINGEMENT

The player in offside position has played the ball and has gained an advantage

and must be sanctioned for offside


Offside Position vs. Activity

Offside position alone is not an infringement

Offside position and activity is an infringement


VIOLATION

Which half is #9 in?Which half is #9 in?

1/2


VIOLATION

2/2


ASSISTANT REFEREE

To determine offside, the assistant referee must be concerned about

and concentrating totally on his or her task.

The assistant referee can not be a spectator of the game.


What is Even?

The torso, head & feet are looked at for determining “even” for

purposes of offside.

-Not hands


Is This Even?


Absolutely!

Not Offside


Is This Even?


Not!

Offside


OFFSIDE POSITION?

Is the player involved in active play?1/3


INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?

Where is the area of active play?

2/3


NO INVOLVEMENT

3/3


OFSIDE POSITION?



Interfering with an Opponent?


2/3



3/3







2/3



The player, in an offside positionThe player, in an offside position interfered with an opponentinterfered with an opponent and mustand must

be sanctioned for offside.3/3


GOALKEEPER NOT DISTRACTED

As play approaches the goal, the goalkeeper’s primary focus is on the ball. Offside decisions are the responsibility of the officials…. not the goalkeeper.

Goalkeepers should not allow themselves to be distracted by the nearby presence of opposing players, whether they are offside or not offside.

The goalkeepers’ attention must be on the ball !!


SHOT AT GOAL HITS POST

Involved in active play?

Where is the area of active play?Where is the area of active play?

1/3


SHOT AT GOAL HITS POST

Now he’s involved

2/3


AN INFRINGEMENT

In this example, the player who was in offside position

gained an advantage

from being in an offside position and must be penalized


SHOT AT GOAL

1/3

National Program for Referee Development 37 of 56 Law 11Involved in active play?

SHOT AT GOAL

Where is the area of active play?Where is the area of active play?

2/3


SHOT AT GOAL

Allow the shot and the goal!Allow the shot and the goal!

3/3


No InfringementIT IS

LEGALLEGALTO BE IN AN

OFFSIDEPOSITION


FREE KICK

Involvement in active play?


NO INFRINGEMENT

If that player were removed wouldit have made a difference?

(Hand of God)


Referee / Assistant Referee

It is the assistant referee’s responsibility to determine position and activity of the

players.

The referee makes the final decision to stop the game.


REBOUND FROM GOALKEEPER

Does the player gain an advantage?

Deflection- no control by GK


INFRINGEMENT


BALL DEFLECTED BY DEFENDER

Does the player gain an advantage?


AN INFRINGEMENT

OFF-SIDE

At the moment the ball was played by ateammate, the player was in offside position.


CORNER KICK

1/3


CORNER KICK

2/3


CORNER KICK

3/3


THROW-IN

1/3


THROW-IN

2/3


THROW-IN

3/3


Non-Involvement

Clear intention to not participate:• Standing still• Moving away from active play• Stepping off the field of play


MECHANICS

At the moment a teammate plays the ball, the assistant referee, before raising the flag must:

• Observe players’ positions• Evaluate players’ activities

• In other words ask the questions!

Player activities means that the player is immediately involved with that particular sequence of play


MECHANICS

Before raising the flag to indicate a player is off-side, be certain that the player is:

• Involved with active play, or• Interfering with an opponent, or• Gaining an advantage by being in an off-

side position

Only then signal to the referee when you are completely satisfied that this is the case


Review

What is “position?” What is “timing?” What is “active involvement?” Which of these three can you miss & still

have offside? 3 restarts when NOT offside What is defender control vs. touch?

Documents

National Program for Referee Development 1 of 56Law 11 LAW 11 Offside