The International Football Association Board (IFAB) under the chairmanship of the Scottish FA President Campbell Ogilvie, convened for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 2 March 2013, at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. This meeting was the 127th AGM since the IFAB was formed in 1886 and also marked the centenary of FIFA’s participation as a member of the IFAB.
In relation to the Laws of the Game, IFAB approved the following wording clarification:
Law 11 – Offside – Interpretation of the Laws of the Game
In the context of Law 11 – Offside, the following definitions apply:
- "interfering with play" means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate
- "interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball.
- "gaining an advantage by being in that position" means playing a ball
(i) that rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position
(ii) that rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent having been in an offside position.
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.
Law 11 – Offside – Interpretation of the Laws of the Game
In the context of Law 11 – Offside, the following definitions apply:
- "interfering with play" means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate
- "interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball.
- "gaining an advantage by being in that position" means playing a ball
(i) that rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position
(ii) that rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent having been in an offside position.
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.
Brief reports were also provided on Additional Assistant Referees, and the decision approved last year related to Law 4 (The Players’ Equipment) with regards to the headscarf – to allow a trial, non-mandatory period – the IFAB reiterated that a final decision will be made at next year’s Annual General Meeting. Finally, a proposal to review Law 8 (The Start and Restart of Play “Dropped Ball”) was postponed for further consultation, with a new proposal to be presented at the 2014 Annual General Meeting. An agreement was also made to form a working group to review the full Laws of the Game to improve clarity where appropriate.
The IFAB also received an update on the goal-line technology (GLT) project, since the historic decision to approve its introduction at the IFAB Special Meeting on 5 July 2012. The meeting agreed that the decision whether to allow replays of goal-line incidents for broadcast purposes and/or on stadium giant screens is to be made independently by individual competition organisers. Also on the subject of GLT, the IFAB agreed each competition organiser should have the autonomy to decide whether they wish to use GLT in individual matches, or all matches of a tournament. Amongst the items for discussion was the usage of electronic performance monitoring systems. The Board agreed to form a consultation group, comprised of medics, coaches, former players and IFAB Technical Sub-Committee members to review this matter further.
Amendments to the Laws of the Game taken by the IFAB come into effect on 1 July 2013.
Source: FIFA/IFAB
The IFAB also received an update on the goal-line technology (GLT) project, since the historic decision to approve its introduction at the IFAB Special Meeting on 5 July 2012. The meeting agreed that the decision whether to allow replays of goal-line incidents for broadcast purposes and/or on stadium giant screens is to be made independently by individual competition organisers. Also on the subject of GLT, the IFAB agreed each competition organiser should have the autonomy to decide whether they wish to use GLT in individual matches, or all matches of a tournament. Amongst the items for discussion was the usage of electronic performance monitoring systems. The Board agreed to form a consultation group, comprised of medics, coaches, former players and IFAB Technical Sub-Committee members to review this matter further.
Amendments to the Laws of the Game taken by the IFAB come into effect on 1 July 2013.
Source: FIFA/IFAB
