In Brief
- Australian referee Shaun Evans was filmed making an upside-down ‘OK’ symbol with his hand.
- The gesture has been co-opted as a white power symbol.
An Australian referee recently found himself at the center of a controversy after being accused of making a gesture linked to white supremacy. This incident led to demands for his removal from the World Cup. However, FIFA has since cleared him of any wrongdoing.
The controversy erupted during the match between Germany and Curaçao when Shaun Evans, serving as a video assistant referee, was caught on camera in the VAR hub making an upside-down ‘OK’ sign with his fingers resting against his thigh. This gesture has been officially classified as a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a New York-based organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism and hate.
Despite its troubling connotations with some far-right groups, the gesture is also well-known as part of the “circle game.” This harmless prank involves someone displaying the sign below their waist. If someone else looks at it, they become subject to a playful punch on the shoulder.
In the world of sports where symbols and gestures are scrutinized closely, it remains critical to distinguish between malicious intent and innocent actions. The incident serves as a reminder of the heightened sensitivities in today’s cultural landscape.
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The gesture was co-opted a decade ago as a signal of white power, with three remaining fingers said to resemble a ‘W’ and the index and thumb forming a ‘P’.
‘An involuntary, subconscious twitch’
Evans, a 38-year-old Victorian and experienced A-League Men’s referee, was one of the officials for Germany’s 7-1 win over Curaçao.
He has denied any deliberate intent and said he wasn’t aware of the gesture’s history.
“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,” Evans said in a statement.
“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.”
Calls for Evans’ removal
The Fare network, a long-time partner of FIFA and European football body UEFA to monitor racist and discriminatory chants, flags and symbols at international games, had called for Evans to be removed from the tournament.
“Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside-down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a white power symbol in global far-right circles,” Fare said in a statement.
“Clearly, this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup.”
FIFA, however, found he had not breached its disciplinary code.
“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 game’s governing body said in a statement.
“The disciplinary committee has also taken note of Mr Evans’ statement.”
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
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