Australian referee Shaun Evans has been accused of making a “white power” gesture during the World Cup broadcast before Germany’s 7-1 win over Curacao on Monday (AEST).
The broadcast cut to Evans alongside two colleagues in the Video Assistant Referees booth, where he could be seen making an upside-down ‘OK’ sign against his thigh.
The gesture has traditionally been used to signify approval, but has been adopted by sections of the far right in recent years.
The Boston Globe first reported the use of the symbol as a white supremacist gesture in 2018 when it appeared on the website 4chan. It was also used by the Australian gunman responsible for the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings when he appeared in court.
An official who made a similar gesture during the live broadcast of the Paris 2024 Olympics skateboarding final had his accreditation revoked as a result.
Screen captures of Evans performing the sign are circulating on social media, with some users claiming he was making the white power gesture. Others say the hand signal was part of a game in which a person loses if they look at the circle.
A FIFA spokesperson told The Athletic the organisation was aware of the incident but declined to comment further.
Evans has not yet commented publicly on the allegations.
Evans has been a full-time referee in the A-League since 2012 and a FIFA-listed referee since 2017. This is his second World Cup. He was also a part of the VAR team in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
