An Australian video assistant referee (VAR) has denied intentionally making a hand gesture linked to white supremacists during a broadcast ahead of Germany’s match against Curacao on Sunday.
Incident Details
Shaun Evans was seen forming an upside-down ‘OK’ symbol with his right hand as cameras cut to the VAR team. While also used in the innocuous ‘circle game’, the gesture has been adopted by far-right groups and was added to the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) list of hate symbols in 2019.
FIFA and Fare Network Response
Football’s governing body, FIFA, is understood to be seeking clarification from Evans regarding the incident. Although FIFA has stated no evidence of disciplinary code breaches has been established, the Fare network, an organisation dedicated to combating discrimination in football, has called for the Australian official to be sent home.
Evans issued a strongly-worded statement on Monday maintaining any movement he made “was an involuntary, subconscious twitch” of which he was “unaware” he had done at the time.
“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. Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers.”
Evans added: “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.”
Broadcast Changes
In all matches up to and including this one, officials had stood facing towards the camera when the feed cut to the VAR hub in Dallas. In the games that followed it, the VAR teams were shown at work, facing their screens. FIFA has not commented on why this change was made.
Following on from Evans’ statement, the governing body said: “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.”
