When to raise the offside flag

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by wardtc

I've worked with several partners who have differing opinions on when to raise the offside flag. Here's the scenario:

Defenders have pulled up to the halfway line. Attackers forwards are marking close to them, but on the attacking side of the field in an offside position. Attacking team gains the ball and punts it over the halfway line. Forwards sprint to the ball which is 15 yards ahead of them. By the time they get to it, they are at the 18.

Does the AR raise the flag at the time of the punt, or run with the attackers and wait till they make contact with the ball first? Some say immediately because they gained an advantage (headstart in the race for the ball), and were involved with play (started to race to the ball). Others say they don't get the advantage till they touch the ball (many things could happen - roll an ankle, loose the race, keeper gets the ball first).

Either way, the ball is brought back to the point they were at (midfield) when the punt was made right?

The other responders have said some good things, but there are a couple of additional points which I wish to add.
1. FIFA did make some changes to the wording and definitions of the offside Law in the summer of 2005.
2. These changes were intended to get the whole world to call offside in the same manner. FIFA even stated that the way the US federation handles the offside decision is what is desired.
3. The USSF stated that we should continue to make the offside decision as before.
4. FIFA later released a clarification that the AR does NOT have to wait for the offside attacker to touch the ball.
http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents.../doc_6_348.pdf

5. The most important part of this document is the following:
"In a close race between an onside and an offside

attacker, it would be necessary to see which player touches the ball
before deciding if an offside offense has occurred."

That is the case in which the AR should wait and not raise the flag until the attacker touches the ball. If there is no onside attacker who can get to the ball (as in the play in your question in which all of the attackers were in an offside position), then the AR should raise the flag right away.

6. Yes, in either case the IFK comes back to the original position where the offside attacker was when the ball was kicked.