Shaun Evans was being investigated for a signal made in the VAR booth in the game between Germany and Curaçao on Sunday (June 14)
The reported this Monday (15.Jun.2026) that it did not identify a violation of the Disciplinary Code involving Australian video assistant referee Shaun Evans, who was after appearing on the broadcast of Germany 7 x 1 Curacao on Sunday (June 14) making a gesture associated by some groups as racist.
In a statement, the entity stated that its Disciplinary Committee analyzed the case and concluded that there was not enough evidence to point out a violation of the organization’s rules.
“FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee confirms that, having reviewed the case involving 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,” stated the entity.
Referee Shaun Evans denied any political or racial connotations and stated that the gesture was involuntary
The controversy arose during the team’s victory on Sunday (June 14), when Evans appeared on the VAR (video assistant referee) broadcast making a hand gesture similar to the “OK” sign.
Traditionally, the sign is used as approval. In recent years, however, it has become associated in certain contexts with extremist and white supremacist groups. The interpretation was made because the three outstretched fingers can form the letter “W”, while the circle made by the thumb and index finger can represent the letter “P”, a reference to the expression “White Power” (“white power”, in English).
The association gained international visibility when Australian supremacist Brenton Tarrant used the gesture during a court hearing in 2019, after being arrested for the murder of 50 people in attacks on mosques in New Zealand.
The Fare network, in accordance with the The Athletican organization that monitors discrimination in football and partners with FIFA in human rights and anti-racism initiatives, stated that the gesture made by Evans resembled the symbol used in international far-right circles. The entity even questioned the referee’s presence in the remainder of the tournament.
Despite that, Organizations that monitor hate symbols warn of the risk of automatic interpretations. The (Anti-Defamation League), which classifies the gesture as a potential extremist symbol, states that the movement also has widespread uses outside this context and that its interpretation depends on the circumstances in which it was carried out.
REFEREE DENIES RACIST GESTURE
Shaun Evans denied any political or racial connotations and stated that the gesture was involuntary.
“I would like to clarify that I did not make any gesture or symbol to intentionally communicate a message, affiliation, or belief of any kind. The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious spasm.”he declared.
The referee also stated that images recorded throughout the match show that he repeated similar movements while holding a pen between his fingers and said he regretted the repercussions of the episode.
Evans has been a member of FIFA since 2017 and participated in the Qatar World Cup in 2022 as a video assistant referee. In the current tournament, he was once again selected to work exclusively in VAR.
Read the full FIFA note:
“FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee can confirm that, having reviewed the case involving video assistant referee Shaun Evans, it found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The Disciplinary Committee also took note of Mr Evans’ statement.
“Statement from Shaun Evans:
“I would like to clarify that I did not intentionally make any hand gestures or symbols to communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind.
“The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious spasm, and I was not aware that I had done it at the time. Footage taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement several times while holding a pen between my fingers.
“The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am. Of course, I understand how the gesture was interpreted and I regret that, however I want to make it very clear and categorically state that I did not make the suggested hand gesture consciously or deliberately.”
“Officiating at the World Cup is the greatest honor of my career and I look forward to supporting my colleagues throughout the remainder of the tournament.”
