Fifa seeks explanation for VAR official's hand gesture

Fifa is seeking an explanation for a hand gesture made by video assistant referee Shaun Evans before Germany's 7-1 victory over Curacao on Sunday. The incident occurred during the World Cup's pre-match broadcast, which typically includes a brief focus on match officials.

Pre-match broadcast routine

As part of Fifa's world feed coverage, the referee and his team walk to the touchline, and a graphic displays their names and roles. The camera then cuts to the VAR team at the referee hub in Dallas, where they briefly pose for the camera before their names appear on screen. On Sunday, when the camera showed the VAR room, Evans was standing with his arm by his side and made an upside-down 'OK' sign with his right hand.

Dual meaning of the gesture

The upside-down OK sign has two distinct meanings. One is harmless, associated with the 'circle game' prank popularized by the US sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, where a person makes the gesture below the waist and punches anyone who looks at it. However, since 2017, the OK sign has also been adopted by far-right groups as a symbol of white supremacy. In 2019, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) added it to its list of hate symbols, noting it has become a 'popular trolling tactic' used by right-leaning individuals who post photos of themselves making the gesture on social media.

Fifa's response and subsequent changes

BBC Sport approached Fifa multiple times for comment but received no official response. However, sources told BBC Sport that Fifa is seeking answers from the Australian VAR official. After the Germany-Curacao match, a noticeable change occurred in the pre-match broadcasts. In three subsequent matches, the VAR officials were already facing their monitors when the camera cut to the hub, rather than posing for the camera. Their names were still displayed, but they no longer looked at the camera. Fifa has provided no explanation for this change.

Background on Shaun Evans

Shaun Evans, 38, has been on Fifa's list of referees since 2017 and is an experienced VAR who officiated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In Australia, he has been a referee in the A-League since 2012 and took charge of the Grand Final in 2019.

Reaction from anti-discrimination groups

The anti-discrimination Fare network, which partners with Fifa and Uefa to tackle racism, said it was seeking clarification. '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,' Fare said in a statement.