Tue, June 16, 2026
FIFA finds no evidence of misconduct by VAR official over controversial hand gesture
Following an investigation, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has cleared a World Cup official of making a white supremacist gesture, with the official stating that the gesture was “a subconscious twitch.” The official in question is Australian support Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Shaun Evans.
The gesture at the heart of the controversy was an upside down “OK” sign: the thumb and index finger form a circle, while the other three fingers are extended. Some may know the gesture from a prank called “circle game” where someone makes the sign discreetly below their waist to get others to notice it.
However, some groups adopted it as a white power sign, with the three extended fingers representing a “W” and the circle and arm representing a “P”. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which aims to tackle extremism, lists the sign as a hate symbol. However, it expresses that: “Because of the traditional meaning of the “okay” hand gesture, as well as other usages unrelated to white supremacy, particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture.”
The sign, used in an extremist context, mainly garnered attention in 2019 in New Zealand when a white supremacist shooter, Brenton Tarrant, responsible for the deaths of 51 Muslim worshippers, made the sign in court.
This is the second World Cup Evans has worked at, and he was seen making the disputed gesture at the World Cup broadcast centre in Dallas during a pre-recorded video of VAR officials working on Germany’s 7-1 win against Curaçao, Evans’ first game of this year’s event. The anti-discrimination organisation, Fare, along with others, called for Evans to be removed from the tournament.
Fare is also a long-term partner of FIFA and UEFA and works with both organisations to monitor behaviour at matches. It described the gesture as “neo-Nazi” and voiced: “Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a white power symbol in global far-right circles…
Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup…
Why is a VAR supervisor using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him? We note that in the two subsequent games it appears TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the audience.”
Before this controversial occurrence, officials stood facing the camera when coverage cut to the VAR centre in Dallas. After the occurrence, the VAR teams were instead shown working, facing their screens, and FIFA has not confirmed why this change was introduced.
However, despite its partner Fare’s verdict, FIFA made the following ruling: “FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee can confirm that, after looking into the matter involving support Video Assistant Referee Shaun Evans, it has found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA disciplinary code.”
It also referred to Evans’ statement: “I would like to clarify that I did not intentionally make a hand gesture or symbol to communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind…
The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious twitch and I was unaware I had done it at the time. Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers…
The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am. Of course, I understand how the gesture has been interpreted and I regret this, however I want to be very clear and categorically say that I did not knowingly or deliberately make the hand symbol suggested…
Officiating at the World Cup is the biggest honour of my career and I look forward to supporting my colleagues for the rest of the tournament.”
Australia’s Professional Football Referees Association (PRFA) welcomed FIFA’s verdict. It expressed to the Associated Press that Evans, who has worked in Australia’s top-flight competition since 2012, “has consistently represented the values expected of football officials: professionalism, respect and integrity.” Evans has officiated over 200 games in Australia’s top-flight and is one of the country’s most experienced officials.
The organisation also expressed: The PFRA celebrates diversity across football and unequivocally rejects racism, discrimination and extremist ideology in all forms…
We acknowledge Shaun’s public statement, in which he addressed the matter directly, and we recognize the importance of fairness, context and due process when concerns are raised.”
In another recent update involving FIFA, Fox Sports, a U.S. television broadcaster, known for its sports programming and owning the English-language rights to the World Cup in the U.S, has evaded punishment from FIFA after it violated the governing body’s advertising rules during the first match of the World Cup which took place between Mexico and South Africa.
