FIFA Concludes Investigation into Controversial VAR Referee on Live Broadcast.

A VAR referee at the 2026 World Cup became the center of controversy after being accused of making a racially charged hand gesture before the match between Germany and Curacao. However, following an urgent investigation, FIFA decided not to disqualify him from the tournament.

The controversial figure is Shaun Evans, an Australian referee serving in the VAR team at the World Cup. The incident occurred before Germany’s 7-1 victory over Curacao in Dallas. When television cameras switched to the VAR room before kick-off, Evans appeared with his right hand hanging down by his side in an “OK” sign, with his thumb and index finger touching and the other three fingers extended.

This gesture quickly went viral on social media, with many arguing that it resembled a symbol often used by some white supremacists in recent years. According to anti-discrimination organizations, the gesture was interpreted as the letters “W” and “P,” an acronym for “White Power,” an extremist message conveyed subtly for mutual identification.

The anti-racism organization FARE, which has collaborated with FIFA on numerous anti-discrimination campaigns, called on the world football governing body to disqualify Evans from the World Cup. However, after reviewing the case, FIFA concluded there was no evidence to suggest the Australian referee intentionally made the gesture to convey a political message or extremist ideology.

Referee Shaun Evans was not penalized by FIFA for his hand gesture (Source: ITV)

In an official statement, Evans denied all allegations: “I want to make it clear that I did not intentionally make any gesture or symbol to convey a message, a connection, a joke, or a belief in any form.”

The 38-year-old referee said he was completely unaware of the movement at the time the cameras recorded it: “The only explanation I can offer is that it was an involuntary muscle twitch, a subconscious reflex, and I didn’t realize I was doing it at the time.”

Evans also stated that subsequent footage showed him repeating the same gesture several times during the match while holding a pen between his fingers. He acknowledged understanding why the image was controversial, but insisted that attributing extremist views to him was completely false.

“What has been circulated since the incident does not reflect who I am at all. I understand how the gesture has been interpreted and I regret that. However, I want to make it clear that I did not intentionally or deliberately make the gesture as it is being alleged.”

Evans also emphasized that participating in the World Cup was the greatest pride of his refereeing career: “Officiated at the World Cup, it was the greatest honor of my career, and I look forward to continuing to support my colleagues for the remainder of the tournament.”

Before FIFA reached a conclusion, FARE had strongly criticized the incident, stating that it was unbelievable for a member of the VAR team to make such a controversial gesture at a time when he knew the cameras were pointed at him. The organization argued that symbols associated with racist ideology should not appear at a global sporting event like the World Cup and called on FIFA to take stronger action.

However, the world football governing body ultimately sided with Evans. A FIFA spokesperson stated: “FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee confirmed that after reviewing the case involving VAR assistant Shaun Evans, they found no evidence of any violation of the Code of Discipline.”

The committee also noted Evans’ statement: “With this decision, Shaun Evans will continue his duties at the 2026 World Cup, but the controversy surrounding his image is likely to continue for some time to come.”