World Cup referee accused of making ‘white supremacy’ sign on live TV

Fifa’s discrimination monitor at the 2026 World Cup has called for a video review (VAR) official to be removed for appearing to make a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign.

Shaun Evans is one of Football Australia's full-time referees after his career began in 2004, and he has a long history of working at large tournaments, such as the 2022 World Cup.

However, he recently came under fire during the official broadcast of Germany’s opening game against Curaçao on Sunday (14 June).

Ahead of the match, the cameras cut to Dallas to show the team of video review analysts, when Evans made an ‘OK’ symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg.

As reported by the BBC, the gesture has two distinct meanings, one of which is harmless and the other, which is connected to an expression of white supremacy.

VAR referee Shaun Evans was seen making this gesture during Germany’s opening game against Curaçao for the 2026 World Cup (X)

In 2019, the gesture, which sees the thumb and forefinger touched in a circle and other fingers outstretched, was designated a hate symbol by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

It was appropriated a decade ago as a signal for white supremacy that started as a hoax on the far-right online message board 4chan.

However, the gesture is also similar to one used in the popular prank circle game, which emerged in the US sitcom Malcolm in the Middle and became an online meme.

Meanwhile, the ‘gotcha’ or ‘circle game’ is where someone flashes an upside-down OK sign below their waist and punches in the shoulder anyone who looks at it.

The Fare network, a long-time partner of Fifa and European football body Uefa to monitor racist and discriminatory chants, flags and symbols at international games, said in a statement: “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,” Fare added, describing the gesture as ‘neo-nazi’.

FIFA is reportedly seeking an explanation over Evans' hand gesture (Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

The network questioned: “Why is a VAR supervisor using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him?”

It's unclear whether he was making a political gesture or playing a children’s game prank.

FIFA was urged to investigate, and BBC Sport has been told by sources that the sports governing body was ‘looking for answers from the Australian VAR official’.

In 2019, when the sign was designated as a hate symbol, Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Centre on Extremism, said context is key to interpreting whether an ‘OK’ symbol is hateful or harmless.

At the time, he said, ‘there is enough of a volume of use for hateful purposes that we felt it was important to add’.

Evans has since said in a 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.

Evans made the gesture when the cameras panned to the VAR team ahead of the game (Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

"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."

The Fifa Disciplinary Committee added in a statement: "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."

And the PFRA said: "The Professional Football Referees Association Inc. (PFRA) welcomes the outcome of FIFA's review of the allegations made against Shaun Evans.

"Shaun has consistently represented the values expected of football officials: professionalism, respect and integrity. 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 recognise the importance of fairness, context and due process when concerns

are raised. The PFRA acknowledges the outcome of FIFA’s review and supports Shaun as a member of the Australian refereeing community.

"The PFRA will not be making any further comment at this time."