World Cup
Australian VAR official Shaun Evans accused over OK gesture at World Cup
Australian video assistant referee Shaun Evans was accused of displaying an OK hand gesture during a broadcast before Germany’s 7-1 win over Curaçao at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A FIFA committee later concluded that Evans did not breach the sport’s disciplinary code.
The Anti-Defamation League added the OK gesture to its hate symbols database in 2019 after it was used by white supremacists. The symbol originally spread via a 4chan trolling campaign that claimed the fingers formed the letters “W” and “P” for “white power.”
Extremist use was highlighted when Brenton Tarrant, the Australian perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque shootings, flashed the OK sign during a courtroom appearance after his arrest. Tarrant also had the number 14 on his rifle, a possible reference to the “14 Words” white supremacist slogan, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Shaun Evans denied any malicious intent, describing the movement as an involuntary, subconscious twitch and noting he repeated it later while holding a pen. He stated he did not intentionally make a hand gesture to communicate any message, affiliation, game, or belief.
The Fare network, FIFA’s discrimination monitor, called for Evans’ removal, describing the gesture as an upside‑down OK symbol used as white power in far‑right circles. The organization questioned why a VAR supervisor would use such a symbol on a global football event while cameras were on him. FARE is a long‑time partner of FIFA and UEFA, monitoring racist chants and symbols.
Australia’s Professional Football Referees Association defended Evans, noting his service as a referee in Australia’s top‑flight competition since 2012. The PFRA said it celebrates diversity and unequivocally rejects racism, discrimination and extremist ideology.
Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Center on Extremism, emphasized that context is crucial when interpreting the OK symbol, recalling the ADL’s initial reluctance to list it because “OK” had long meant just “OK.” He added that the volume of hateful usage eventually warranted its inclusion.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti‑Defamation League, said hate symbols constantly evolve as extremists create new memes and slogans. He noted that even symbols decades old are repurposed for hateful purposes.
Kyle Rittenhouse was also cited for making the same gesture at a bar in Wisconsin, according to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office. The incident further illustrates the gesture’s association with extremist and militia groups.