FIFA Clears VAR Official Shaun Evans After Investigation Into World Cup Gesture

FIFA found no evidence that VAR official Shaun Evans intentionally made a racist hand gesture during Germany’s World Cup match against Curaçao.
Evans said the movement was an involuntary and subconscious action with no political or discriminatory meaning.
The governing body’s independent Disciplinary Committee confirmed no breach of the FIFA Disciplinary Code occurred.

FIFA has cleared video assistant referee official Shaun Evans after investigating a gesture made before Germany’s FIFA World Cup opener against Curaçao, concluding there was no evidence the Australian official intentionally made a racist hand signal.

The incident occurred before Sunday’s Group Stage match when the television broadcast briefly showed the team of video review officials working from FIFA’s World Cup broadcast centre in Dallas. Evans appeared to make an “OK” gesture with his right hand, a symbol that has previously been associated with white supremacist groups in certain contexts.

The gesture quickly attracted attention on social media, prompting FIFA to review the matter.

In a statement released on Monday, FIFA confirmed its independent Disciplinary Committee had completed its assessment and found no wrongdoing.

“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 organisation said.

Evans strongly denied that the gesture carried any racist meaning and insisted it was unintentional.

“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.”

The official added that later images from the match showed him repeating similar hand movements while holding a pen, supporting his claim that the action was unconscious rather than deliberate.

“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,” Evans said.

“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.”

FIFA confirmed Evans’ explanation formed part of the evidence considered during its investigation before reaching a final decision.

Although Germany’s 7-1 victory over Curaçao took place in Houston, video review officials are based in Dallas throughout the tournament, where Evans was working when the broadcast captured the moment.

Evans is one of 30 video review analysts selected by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The “OK” gesture became controversial after being adopted by some white supremacist groups during the past decade. The symbol gained widespread attention following the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand, when the gunman displayed it during a court appearance.

The gesture was later added to the Anti-Defamation League’s database of hate symbols, although the organisation has repeatedly stated that context remains critical when interpreting its use.

FIFA’s investigation concluded that context did not support claims of discriminatory intent in Evans’ case, allowing the official to continue his duties for the remainder of the tournament.

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Hailey

Hailey Russell is a football journalist and former Division 1 collegiate athlete in the United States, bringing a unique blend of elite playing experience and professional insight to her work. Currently competing at the professional level in Europe, Hailey combines first-hand knowledge of the modern game with sharp analysis across match reports, player development, and tactical breakdowns.