VAR official cleared of hand gesture controversy returns to World Cup

Video assistant referee (VAR) official Shaun Evans will return to duty for New Zealand's World Cup match against Egypt on Sunday (Monday, 02:00 BST), his first appointment since being cleared by a FIFA investigation of making an inappropriate hand gesture.

The Australian will serve as assistant VAR official to Mohammed Khamid for the Group G fixture in Vancouver. Evans, 38, was seen making an upside-down 'OK' sign with his right hand during pre-match coverage of Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao, a gesture associated with white supremacy.

Investigation and clearance

FIFA launched an investigation after the incident, which sparked widespread speculation on social media. The governing body issued a statement on Monday confirming that it found "no evidence of breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code." Evans denied any intentional wrongdoing, describing the gesture as "an involuntary, subconscious twitch."

"The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am," Evans said in a statement released by FIFA. "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."

Evidence of involuntary movement

Evans explained that video footage from the VAR room showed he made similar movements repeatedly while holding a pen. "Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers," he said. "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."

Pre-match coverage changes

The incident occurred during FIFA's pre-match broadcast, which typically shows the referee team on the touchline and then cuts to the VAR hub in Dallas. Before the Germany-Curacao match, Evans was seen standing with his arm by his side before making the gesture. After the controversy, FIFA altered its coverage: subsequent broadcasts showed VAR officials already facing their monitors, rather than posing for the camera, though their names continued to be displayed.