FIFA has officially cleared Australian video assistant referee (VAR) Shaun Evans of any wrongdoing following allegations that he made a racist hand gesture prior to the Sunday World Cup match between Germany and Curacao.
The 38-year-old official, an experienced referee who also officiated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, was spotted on a pre-game broadcast making an upside-down ‘OK’ gesture. While historically known as a casual prank from the “Circle Game,” the symbol was added to the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) list of hate symbols in 2019 due to its co-optation by far-right groups.
Following a swift investigation into the incident, FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee concluded that there was no evidence of a breach of its disciplinary code. The governing body took into consideration a detailed statement from Evans, who categorically denied any intent or hidden meaning behind the movement.
In his response, Evans defended himself by explaining that the gesture was entirely unintentional. “The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious twitch,” Evans stated, noting that broadcast images later in the match showed him repeating the same physical habit multiple times while holding a pen. While expressing regret over how the moment was interpreted, Evans emphasized that the speculation did not reflect who he is and stated that he looks forward to continuing his work supporting his refereeing colleagues for the remainder of the World Cup tournament.