FIFA clears World Cup referee accused of making white supremacist gesture | Football News
FIFA Exonerates Referee Over Gesture Controversy
FIFA has determined that Australian referee Shaun Evans did not breach its code of conduct amid accusations that he made a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign during a match at the World Cup.
In a statement sent to Al Jazeera on Monday, FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee confirmed it found “no evidence” supporting claims of misconduct against Evans. The inquiry followed a report from FIFA’s discrimination monitor, who called for Evans’s removal as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after he appeared to make the gesture prior to Germany’s opening match against Curacao on Sunday.
During the broadcast, Evans was seen using an “OK” symbol with his right hand, which stirred controversy among viewers. The game took place in Houston, but the video officials operated from a broadcast center in Dallas.
Evans stated that the gesture was unintentional, asserting, “I did not make it to communicate a message, affiliation, game, or belief of any kind.” He described the motion as an “involuntary, subconscious twitch” and emphasized he was unaware of it at the time.
“I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers,” he noted in a statement. “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.”
As the situation unfolded, FIFA’s decision to clear Evans has drawn attention amid ongoing discussions about symbols and gestures in sports.
