on the sidelines

Idioms  

1. Observing rather than taking part, out of the action, as in Bolivia's neighbors remained on the sidelines, waiting to see which faction in the dispute would prevail. This idiom comes from sports. The sidelines are the two lines defining the sides of the court or playing field and the area immediately beyond them where, in such sports as football, the non-playing team members sit. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

With inflation moving in the wrong direction, the Federal Reserve will stay on the sidelines and “wait and see” how the economy evolves, El-Erian said.

From MarketWatch

In one notable exception, a player receiving medical attention on the sidelines blew a kiss to the stands, receiving a huge cheer.

From BBC

Jack Straw, a former British foreign secretary who met Larijani on the sidelines of a United Nations meeting in 2005, described Larijani as a more sophisticated figure than his boss at the time, former hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

From The Wall Street Journal

China and Russia have largely stayed on the sidelines despite close ties with Tehran.

From Barron's

“I think sitting on the sidelines is all they can do,” said Richard Moody, chief economist at Regions Financial, in an interview with MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch