Soccer
FIFA to change offside law?
2013-02-04 14:03
Zurich - FIFA's
rules-making panel will consider changing how the offside law is
interpreted at its annual meeting next month to clarify when attackers
can legally influence play.
FIFA
said on Monday the panel, known as IFAB, will also examine closing a
loophole regarding uncontested dropped balls after a controversial goal
scored by Shakhtar Donetsk against Nordsjaelland in the Champions League
in November.
A progress report
on introducing goal-line technology before the 2014 Soccer World Cup will be
submitted when the rules body meets March 1-2 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The group comprises officials from FIFA and the four British football
associations.
The main proposal
comes from FIFA's refereeing department to clarify the interpretation
of rules regarding attackers standing in an offside position.
Proposals
state that an attacker should be considered offside when "gaining an
advantage by being in that position." This would include receiving the
ball from a rebound or deflection from the goal frame or a player in the
defending team attempting a tackle, block or save.
However,
an attacker should be allowed to continue play when receiving a
deliberate pass, such as a backpass, from the defending team.
"A
player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent, who
deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save), is not
considered to have gained an advantage," the proposed new text of "Law
11 - Offside" states.
FIFA said the Denmark Football Association made a proposal after one of the most disputed goals of the season.
Shakhtar
forward Luiz Adriano provoked outrage when he ignored the sportsmanship
code against Nordsjaelland after play was stopped to treat an injured
opponent. After play restarted with an uncontested drop ball, he chased
the ball down and scored when the Danish champion's defenders stopped to
let it to reach their goalkeeper.
UEFA
accepted that the Brazilian forward acted within the laws of football
yet banned him for one Champions League match and ordered him to perform
one day of community football service.
The
Danish proposal calls on IFAB to ensure that a goal cannot be allowed
if one team expecting to receive the ball after the uncontested drop has
not touched it.