Off the ball (or OTB) is a term used in
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
in the United Kingdom, usually associated with a player's action when not in possession of the ball, such as a fight or a late challenge.
If a referee does not see an OTB incident but another official, such as the
assistant referee
A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other tit ...
, does, the assistant may draw their attention, usually activating a buzzer that the referee has strapped to their upper arm or by waving their flag. The assistant will inform the referee as to what happened, and the referee will act according to the laws of the game. Depending on the severity of the incident, this may involve booking the involved player or
sending them off.
External links
Tottenham 4-1 Bolton ''BBC Sport'', 25 February, 2007.
Clockwatch: China 0-2 Costa Rica ''BBC Sport'', 4 June, 2002.
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Terminology used in multiple sports
Association football terminology
Association football skills
Basketball terminology
Rugby league terminology
Rugby union terminology