Referee Faces Hate Gesture Probe
FIFA Investigates VAR Supervisor Shaun Evans Over Alleged White-Power Gesture During World Cup Broadcast
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In the live broadcast footage, Evans was shown in the VAR area (behind video referees Hamza El Fario and assistant Nicolas Gallo), appeared to smile, held the hand sign steady for about eight seconds, and then turned away—details fans said made the gesture seem deliberate. (IBTimes reported these observations based on the broadcast.)
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7NEWS reported that the gesture can also be associated in Australia with a children’s “Circle Game” popularised on the American sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, where someone is supposed to trick another person into looking at a “circle” below the waist before being punched—7NEWS said it was not suggesting Evans meant anything specific, but noted that the overlap has fueled speculation.
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One report cited far-right online-culture context: it said the Anti-Defamation League links the gesture to a category of extremist use described as “Operation O-KKK,” which was reportedly started on the anonymous message board platform 4chan in 2017, and that neo-Nazis have used it in public to “signal their presence” and identify sympathizers—citing the New York Times reporting.
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Fare Network, in its statement quoted by The Times of India, went beyond urging removal: it said experts found the gesture “clearly resembles an upside down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a ‘White power’ symbol in global far-right circles,” and it also claimed that in subsequent games “TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the TV audience.”
Australian VAR supervisor Shaun Evans is under fire after footage from the FIFA World Cup showed him holding an upside-down "OK" gesture for roughly eight seconds during live television coverage before Germany's 7-1 win over Curaçao on June 14, 2026. IBTimes reported that Evans appeared to smile and hold the sign steady while cameras were trained directly on him in the VAR room in Dallas — details that critics say made the act look deliberate.
FIFA's anti-discrimination partner, the Fare Network, immediately called for Evans to be removed from the tournament. FIFA said it is "aware of the incident" but had not issued a formal ruling as of June 15, 7NEWS reported. Evans has not made any public comment.
What the Camera Captured in Dallas
During the official broadcast, the camera cut to the VAR center before kickoff. Evans was standing behind on-duty referees Hamza El Fario and Nicolas Gallo. According to IBTimes, he smiled, formed the hand sign, and held it at thigh level for about eight seconds before turning away. Neither El Fario nor Gallo is accused of any wrongdoing.
Clips spread quickly on social media platforms including X and Reddit, with many users accusing Evans of flashing a white power symbol on a global stage. Germany's 7-1 result — a historic scoreline — was quickly overshadowed by the controversy, NBC Sports noted.
Why the "OK" Sign Is Considered a Hate Symbol
The gesture started as a common sign meaning "okay." But in 2017, users on the anonymous message board 4chan launched what they called "Operation O-KKK" — a campaign to trick people into treating the sign as racist. The plan worked beyond the trolls' intentions. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) officially added it to its database of hate symbols in 2019, after white supremacists began using it in public to signal each other, The New York Times reported.
The symbol gained wider notoriety when Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant flashed it in court, BBC reported. In 2024, a contractor for Olympic Broadcasting Services was sent home and had his accreditation revoked after making the same gesture behind athletes at the Paris Olympics skateboarding finals, according to SPORTbible.
Fare Network Demands Removal, FIFA Stays Silent
The Fare Network, which monitors discrimination at FIFA tournaments, said its experts found the gesture "clearly resembles an upside down 'OK' hand symbol used as a 'White power' symbol in global far-right circles," The Times of India reported. The group's executive director, Piara Powar, argued that the timing — with cameras directly on Evans — pointed to a "deliberate action," according to The Independent.
FIFA confirmed it is aware of the situation but had not removed Evans from the officiating panel as of Monday afternoon. Football Australia and the Professional Football Referees Association were both contacted for comment and stayed silent, The Washington Post reported. Evans is one of four Australians among the 30 VAR officials chosen for the 2026 World Cup.
The "Circle Game" Defense and What Comes Next
Some Australian media outlets offered a different explanation. 7NEWS noted that the gesture resembles the "Circle Game" — a prank popularized by the American sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. In that game, a person tries to trick someone into looking at an upside-down "OK" sign below the waist. If they look, they get punched. 7NEWS said it was not suggesting Evans had a specific intent, but acknowledged the overlap has fueled debate.
Meanwhile, The Times of India reported that FIFA television directors have quietly stopped showing the VAR room during pre-match broadcasts in subsequent games. Fare Network flagged this change as significant. If FIFA finds Evans violated Article 4 of its code — which covers neutrality and non-discrimination — he could face a permanent ban from FIFA events and likely lose his domestic role with Football Australia.
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