An unexpected controversy has already emerged at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA has opened an investigation into Australian assistant VAR official Shaun Evans following a gesture made before the match between Germany and Curaçao.
Moments before kickoff, cameras showed the officials inside the Video Assistant Referee room in Dallas. In footage broadcast during the official coverage, Shaun Evans appeared to make an inverted “OK” hand sign below his waist with his right hand.
Controversy Over a Suspected Extremist Symbol
The gesture has at times been associated with certain far-right movements and the “white power” ideology. It notably drew attention when it was seen during the court appearance of Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch attack in New Zealand.
Fare, FIFA and UEFA’s partner organization in the fight against racism and discrimination, reacted quickly. According to its experts, the gesture observed “clearly resembles” a symbol used in some white supremacist circles. The group even suggested that the Australian official should no longer take part in the remainder of the tournament. However, the interpretation of the sign remains disputed. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) notes that the gesture is still widely used in an entirely ordinary context to indicate that everything is fine or satisfactory, while acknowledging that some extremist groups have also appropriated it for ideological purposes.
🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: FIFA has launched an investigation into assistant VAR Shaun Evans after he appeared to make a hand gesture that has been linked to far-right extremist groups.
The Australian official is now under review. pic.twitter.com/PKEYmH42vV
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) June 15, 2026
In response to the controversy, FIFA has launched an investigation to determine the exact context of the incident and Shaun Evans’ intentions. No disciplinary action has been announced at this stage. Originally from Melbourne, Evans began his career as a bricklayer before becoming a professional referee. Having officiated at the highest level of Australian football for more than a decade, he has been on FIFA’s international list since 2017. The investigation will now seek to establish whether the gesture was harmless or contrary to the values promoted by world football’s governing body.
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