[delas]

the first orange gol is scandalous, but, watching the match, Holland has deserved to win, Italy has played the worst match of the last years, the defence was embarrassing, no team in the world leaves Cassano and Del Piero out, Italy without ideas, only Pirlo....I hope this defeat can wake up our players, we are world champion, bust last night we have forgotten this fact....

 

[delas]

Keith Hackett, the Premier League referee's chief, says it was a legitimate goal. Panucci slid off the pitch after colliding with his own player, Buffon, and was therefore still active.

Panucci was out of the pitch, injured, didn't watch the action.....How can you consider his position active? However, Italy has deserved to lose.....

 

[delas]

They are saying that he had not been given permission to leave the field for treatment by the referee so was still active.

11.4.1. of the refereeing code states...

"an opposing player cannot be offside when one of the last two defenders has left the field of play"

This is to prevent defenders hopping off the pitch to play attackers offside. In this case it was unfortunate because, as you say, Panucci was injured after the collision with Buffon so could not get back on. However, his teammates should have been aware of the rules and not have been trying to play offside in that situation.

damned refereeing code states
However this norm is right for the reason you have explained, but is a dangerous norm, every time a player goes out of the field of play like panucci, offside disappears...it is also true that referee cannot know if player is really injured or he is getting cute....
So....damned refereeing code states --
Donadoni, wake up!