VAR official’s ‘OK hand’ gesture during World Cup broadcast sparks outrage
FIFA has been embroiled in yet another off-pitch controversy during the 2026 World Cup after a VAR official was accused on social media of making a gesture linked to white supremacy movements. The incident occurred on Sunday 15 June during the Germany vs Curacao Group E match when officials were introduced to the crowd before kick-off.
Australian referee Shaun Evans, who performed VAR duties in the matchappeared on air and made a reverse “OK” sign while looking into the camera. The brief gesture quickly sparked online debate, with some viewers claiming it resembled a symbol appropriated by white groups in recent years.
The controversy comes as FIFA continues to highlight its anti-discrimination initiatives during the tournament, with the governing body repeatedly pledging to fight racism, hate speech and extremism in football.
“I don’t usually post controversial stuff but this is unacceptable. When Shaun Evans watches the start of the Germany vs Curacao match, the Australian replay official gives the OK sign with his right hand. This is a familiar sign of white supremacy. Please share,” wrote one user on X, tagging FIFA. Gesture sparks outrage on social media (screenshot from X)
Not everyone agreed with this interpretation. Several Australian social media users have pointed out that the gesture is also very reminiscent of the “Circle Game”, a school prank popularized in mainstream culture, including the 2000s sitcom Malcolm in the Middle.
In the game, one makes a circle with the thumb and forefinger below the waist and tries to get others to look at it. Anyone caught looking is traditionally given a playful punch in the arm.
Anti-discrimination organization Fare Network nevertheless called for Evans to be removed from the World Cup governing panel, arguing that the gesture mirrored one often used by far-right groups.
“The advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles the inverted ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a symbol of ‘White Power’ in global far-right circles. Why would a VAR supervisor use this symbol at a global football event when he knows cameras are on him? It can only be that he is deliberately broadcasting a far-right neo-Nazi symbol,” they said in a statement.
“We have noted that in the two following games, the TV directors appear to have stopped presenting the VAR panel to the TV audience. The global TV audience should not be exposed to extremist far-right individuals preparing to watch the match, using neo-Nazi symbols. It is clear that this official should play no further role at this World Cup,” they added.
FIFA IS STILL REPLYING
The “OK” hand gesture has long been used internationally as a sign of agreement or agreement. However, its meaning became questionable after some extremist groups adopted it as a coded symbol. The gesture gained global attention in 2019 when Brenton Tarrant, a white Australian, displayed it during a court appearance following the attacks on a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 51 people died.
At the same time, experts and anti-hate organizations have noted that the gesture retains numerous legitimate meanings and is still commonly used in everyday communication, creating ambiguity when assessing intent on a case-by-case basis.
The footage of Evans has since been widely shared across social media platforms, with users divided on whether the gesture was intentional, misunderstood or simply unrelated to any political symbolism.
As the debate continues online, attention has turned to whether FIFA will investigate the matter. At the time of writing, neither FIFA nor Evans have commented publicly on the controversy.
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Published on:
June 15, 2026 1:51 PM IST