FIFA has launched an urgent investigation into Australian assistant VAR official Shaun Evans after he appeared to make a hand gesture linked to far‑right extremist groups during a live television broadcast before Germany’s World Cup opener.
The incident occurred on Sunday as the official broadcast of Germany’s 7‑1 victory over Curaçao in Houston cut pre‑game to show the team of video review analysts working from FIFA’s World Cup broadcast centre in Dallas. Evans, serving as a support VAR official, was captured making an inverted “OK” sign — thumb and index finger touching, the other three fingers extended — with his right hand resting against his thigh.
Though the gesture has traditionally indicated approval or that something is “OK”, its upside‑down variant has in recent years been co‑opted by white supremacist movements. In this configuration, the three outstretched fingers are said to represent the letter “W” for White, while the circle formed by the thumb and index finger symbolises “P” for Power. In 2019, the New York‑based Anti‑Defamation League (ADL) formally added the hand sign to its list of hate symbols, noting that it had become a “popular trolling tactic” among right‑leaning individuals.
The Fare network — a long‑standing partner of FIFA and UEFA that monitors racism and discrimination at international football matches — issued a statement demanding Evans be removed from the tournament.
“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,” Fare said. “Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup”.
FIFA confirmed it had received the information and quickly launched an investigation into the incident, which has triggered international uproar. The governing body declined to comment further while the review is ongoing.
Debate over meaning
While anti‑discrimination organisations have called for immediate action, the controversy is complicated by the symbol’s multiple interpretations.
The upside‑down “OK” sign also serves as the basis of the “circle game” — a children’s playground prank in which someone flashes the signal below their waist and punches the shoulder of anyone who looks at it. The gesture was appropriated as a white power signal roughly a decade ago, beginning as a hoax on the far‑right online message board 4chan before being adopted by actual extremist groups.
The ADL has consistently cautioned against jumping to conclusions about intent. “Particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture,” the organisation states, adding that the “overwhelming usage” of the hand sign remains one of approval or reassurance. When the sign was designated a hate symbol in 2019, Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Center on Extremism, said “context is key” and noted there was “enough of a volume of use for hateful purposes that we felt it was important to add”.
Fare, however, has rejected the idea that Evans’ action could be explained as a prank. “Why is a VAR supervisor using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him?” the organisation said. Fare also noted that television directors had ceased introducing the VAR panel to audiences for the two subsequent games at the tournament.
The connection has been further inflamed by the symbol’s use in one of the worst extremist attacks of the century. Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant — who murdered 50 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019 — made the very same hand sign when he appeared in court following his arrest.
Who is Shaun Evans?
Evans, 38, is a Melbourne native and one of Australia’s most experienced referees. He began officiating as an assistant referee in the A‑League in 2008 while working part‑time as a bricklayer, before being promoted to referee in 2012. He was named a full‑time Football Australia referee in 2016 and added to the FIFA International Referees List the following year.
Evans was voted A‑League Referee of the Year for the 2018‑19 season and has officiated the A‑League Grand Final, the FFA Cup Final and the 2022 AFC Cup Final. He previously worked as a video assistant referee at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He was named Australia’s Professional Football Referees Association Referee of the Year in 2024 and served as the VAR official for this year’s A‑League Grand Final. He is one of four Australian match officials selected for the 2026 World Cup, alongside referee Alireza Faghani, assistant referee George Lakrindis and assistant referee Andrew Lindsay.
Precedent for consequences
The incident is not without recent parallel. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, an official had his accreditation revoked after he appeared to make the same inverted “OK” hand gesture twice while standing behind athletes during the women’s street skateboarding final. That individual was later identified as a subcontractor working for Olympic Broadcasting Services.
What happens next?
Evans has not yet commented publicly on the matter. FIFA has been approached for comment and has extended the right of reply to Evans through the governing body. Football Australia and the Professional Football Referees Association have also been contacted.
The outcome of FIFA’s investigation remains uncertain. If the governing body determines that Evans intentionally displayed a white supremacist symbol, he could face expulsion from the tournament, suspension from officiating, or a permanent ban. If the gesture is deemed an ill‑judged prank or an innocent action, he may escape with a warning or a brief suspension.
What is not in doubt is the damage already inflicted. A World Cup that began as a celebration of football’s global unity now finds itself embroiled in a controversy over whether one of its officials sent a far‑right signal from the VAR booth — while live on television.
Reporting from Dallas. Additional reporting by The Associated Press, BBC Sport, and The Guardian.
