SUNDERLAND slipped to their third successive Premier League defeat as they went down 3-1 to Fulham at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
In the aftermath of Sunderland’s 3-1 loss to Fulham, the Premier League and officiating bodies clarified a specific application of Law 11 (Offside) that allowed Calvin Bassey’s penalty to stand despite him appearing to be in an offside position.
The “Foul Before Offside” Rule
The pivotal factor in the decision was the timing of the infringement. Under the current Laws of the Game, if an attacking player in an offside position is fouled before they play or attempt to play the ball, the foul is penalized because the offside offense has not yet occurred.
In this specific incident:
- The Foul: Sunderland defender Brian Brobbey committed a “significant and prolonged” holding offense on Calvin Bassey.
- The Timing: Because the holding occurred while the ball was in the air—and before Bassey made any attempt to play the ball or interfere with an opponent—the foul took precedence.
- The Verdict: According to the VAR review, the foul was the first offense committed. Therefore, Bassey’s offside position was secondary and became irrelevant once the whistle was blown for the penalty.
Why It Wasn’t Overturned
Many fans compared this to past incidents where penalties were overturned for offside. However, the distinction lies in Active Play:
- If Bassey had touched the ball and then been fouled, the penalty would have been overturned because the offside offense happens the moment he touches the ball.
- Because he was fouled while the ball was still traveling, he had not yet become “active” in the eyes of the law.
