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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Holly Bishop

Fifa clears World Cup referee after ‘white supremacist’ hand sign row

Fifa World Cup Shaun Evans
  • A World Cup 2026 video assistant referee, Shaun Evans, was seen on camera appearing to make a gesture resembling a white supremacist hand sign.
  • The incident occurred during a television broadcast of the VAR team working on Germany's 7-1 victory against Curaçao.
  • The gesture, an upside-down 'OK' sign below the waist, originated as a children's game but was designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League in 2019 after being adopted by white supremacist groups.
  • Evans stated that the hand sign was an 'involuntary, subconscious twitch' and not intended to communicate any message, affiliation, game or belief.
  • Following an investigation, Fifa 's independent disciplinary committee cleared Evans, stating they found no evidence of breaches of the Fifa disciplinary code.

IN FULL

World Cup official cleared over hand gesture resembling ‘white power’ sign

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