World Cup VAR referee forced to deny on air ‘far right’ hand gesture | OneFootball

FIFA is understood to be aware of the incident

An Australian video assistant referee (VAR) has denied intentionally making a hand gesture linked to white supremacists during a broadcast ahead of Germany’s match against Curacao on Sunday.

Shaun Evans was seen forming an upside-down ‘OK’ symbol with his right hand as cameras cut to the VAR team. While also used in the innocuous ‘circle game’, the gesture has been adopted by far-right groups and was added to the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) list of hate symbols in 2019.

Football’s governing body, FIFA, is understood to be seeking clarification from Evans regarding the incident. Although FIFA has stated no evidence of disciplinary code breaches has been established, the Fare network, an organisation dedicated to combating discrimination in football, has called for the Australian official to be sent home.

“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,” Evans said.

“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.”

Referee Shaun Evans gives a yellow card to Will Dobson of the Jets during Leg 2 of the A-League Men Elimination Final series between Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC at at McDonald Jones Stadium, on May 16, 2026, in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

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Evans added: “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.

In all matches up to and including this one, officials had stood facing towards the camera when the feed cut to the VAR hub in Dallas. In the games that followed it, the VAR teams were shown at work, facing their screens. FIFA has not commented on why this change was made.

Following on from Evans’ statement, the governing body said: “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.

“The Disciplinary Committee has also taken note of Mr Evans’ statement.”