Australian referee Shaun Evans said he had not intended to “convey any kind of message, affiliation, game or beliefs”.
Published June 15, 2026
FIFA said it found “no evidence” that one of its World Cup officials had breached its code of conduct after he was accused of making a white supremacist gesture during a match.
“FIFA’s Independent Disciplinary Commission has investigated the matter involving Support Video Assistant Referee Shaun Evans and can confirm that it has found no evidence of a breach of the FIFA Disciplinary Code,” soccer’s world governing body said in an emailed statement to Al Jazeera on Monday.
Earlier, FIFA’s World Cup discrimination watchdog had called for Evans, who served as a VAR official at the tournament, to be fired for making a hand gesture that resembled a white supremacist sign.
When the official broadcast of Sunday’s Germany opener against Curaçao cut pre-match to show a team of video review analysts, Australian official Evans made an “OK” mark with his right hand in front of his right foot.
Although the game was played in Houston, video personnel are working at the World Cup Broadcast Center in Dallas.
Evans said the hand gesture was unintentional and was not intended to “convey any kind of message, affiliation, game or belief.”
“The only explanation I can give is that the movement was an involuntary and involuntary spasm and that he did not know at the time that he had done it,” the source said in a statement shortly before FIFA announced its decision.
“Images taken later during the match showed me repeating this motion over and over again with the pen between my fingers,” Evans added.
“The media coverage following this incident does not reflect who I am in any way. Of course, I understand how this gesture was interpreted and I regret it. However, I want to say clearly and unequivocally that I did not intentionally or knowingly suggest the hand symbol.”
