Australian video assistant referee Shaun Evans has been cleared by FIFA after accusations he made a white supremacist hand gesture during the World Cup, with the governing body finding no evidence of any breach following an investigation.
Shaun Evans (L) will face no further action, FIFA have confirmed
FIFA have confirmed that Australian video assistant referee Shaun Evans will escape punishment following allegations of making a white supremacist gesture. The governing body states that no evidence was found of wrongdoing by the 38-year-old, who has refuted any suggestion that it was a symbol intended to convey a message or affiliation “of any kind”.
The controversial moment took place prior to Germany’s 7-1 thrashing of minnows Curacao when cameras focused on officials inside the VAR room. Evans appeared to form an inverted ‘OK’ sign with his fingers, though the Melbourne-born official has rejected claims he acted deliberately.
Once the episode emerged, debate erupted on social media with some suggesting it may have been light-hearted in nature. Others pointed out that the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) included it on its catalogue of hate symbols in 2019 following its adoption by far-right groups.
In a statement, Evans said: “I would like to clarify that I did not intentionally make a hand gesture or symbol to communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind.
“The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious twitch, and I was unaware I had done it at the time. Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers.”
“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.
“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.”
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee wrapped up their inquiry, finding no evidence of wrongdoing by Evans, who has served as a FIFA international referee for nine years, with the panel acknowledging his statement.
“FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee can confirm that, after looking into the matter involving support video assistant referee Shaun Evans, it has found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The Disciplinary Committee has also taken note of Mr Evans’ statement.”
Evans was selected by the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) as one of their four appointed video assistant referees while George Lakrindis and James Lindsay were put forward as the federation’s referees.
Brenton Tarrant, an Australian white supremacist, displayed the symbol when he appeared in court following his 2019 arrest for murdering 50 people in a shooting at two mosques in New Zealand.
Months later, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said that the OK symbol had become a ‘popular trolling tactic’ from ‘right-leaning individuals’.
The gesture entered the mainstream in the 2000’s after TV sit-com Malcolm in the Middle broadcast it into households across the world. It has been linked with a playground game where a person would make the symbol below their waist and anyone who looks is punched.
The BBC included the gesture in their list of hate symbols in 2019 and five years on at the Olympic Games, a man had his accreditation revoked for apparently making a gesture during the women’s skateboarding final.
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