Written by: Theodore, reporter in ISFM
In this article, we’ll be talking about the sometimes annoying, offsides rule.
Introduction
The modern offside rule is a rule that can be very annoying, but why is it so important? Even without the offside rule, defenders can still mark strikers! So why keep it? Well in throw-ins, the offside rule isn’t a thing which Ronaldinho used to his advantage by asking the goalkeeper for water so the defenders wouldn’t bother to mark him, and the rest is history. So imagine this but all the time, so that is why it exists.
The offside rule in 1863
Although it had never been proposed by an organisation, signs of this new rule in English public schools during the 19th century had already started, being considered as a rule, stating no players could be passed the ball sideways or in front of the ball carrier. This was strict but reasonable, considering cameras were new technology videos, and VAR hadn’t even been thought of since videos weren’t invented until 1888, so mistakes wouldn’t happen as often. In 1863, the FA introduced it as an official rule, a bit different from the schools had, that disallowed any passes forward unless 2 or more opposing defenders and the goalkeeper were in front of the receiver.
Changes for the offside rule
Later on, 62 years later in 1925 and 1990, the rule was changed to only 1 defender and the goalkeeper and after changed to the modern offside rule. A player is considered offside if he is in front of the ball with no defenders in front of him/her during the moment the ball is passed. In 2018, VAR was introduced further helping the referees identifying offsides and preventing errors. It was accurate enough to tell that a player was offside by a millimeter, but luckily, hair and shirts don’t count as players can’t control it.
Written by: Theodore, reporter in ISFM
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