World Cup ref accused of making ‘white power’ gesture on TV before game

During this World Cup so far, it’s become part of the bread and butter for the TV cameras to show the officials before kick off.

But during Sunday’s (14 June) Germany vs Curacao match at the Houston Stadium in Texas, a member of the VAR team is said to have made a controversial gesture.

It’s alleged that when Shaun Evans was shown on TV alongside his fellow officials, he briefly made a ‘white power’ symbol with his hand.

Stood beside his World Cup colleagues, the Australian appeared to outstretch his fingers as his thumb and index finger touched beside his leg.

Historically a symbol to mean ‘ok’ or as a bit of a harmless prank on your mates, when this gesture is upside down it has links as a ‘white power symbol’.

It was quickly spotted by viewers who took to X to call out the alleged move as one wrote: “Look at this f***ing VAR guy in the Germany vs. Curaçao match flashing a white power symbol live, what an OUTRAGE.”

It’s explained that the three outstretched fingers spell W for White with the thumb and index drawing out a P for Power.

Aussie white supremacist Brenton Tarrant famously made the symbol while in court in 2019 following his arrest for murdering 50 people in a New Zealand mosque shooting.

And as the moment went viral on social media, anti-discrimination network Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe) has also called out the gesture.

It said in a statement last night: “Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a ‘White power’ symbol in global far-right circles.”

The network continued: “Why is a VAR supervisor is using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him? It can only be that he is intentionally transmitting a far-right neo-nazi symbol.

“We note that in the two subsequent games it appears TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the TV audience.

“A global television audience should not be subjected to extremist far right individuals using neo-Nazi symbols as they prepare to watch a match. Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup.”

While the Anti-Defamation League characterises the gesture as a hate symbol, it warns that particular 'caution' should be taken.

It explains on its site: "Because of the traditional meaning of the 'okay' hand gesture, as well as other usages unrelated to white supremacy, particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture.”

FIFA has now 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."

Evans' statement: "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.

"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.

"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."