VAR Gesture Sparks Discrimination Concerns at World Cup Opening

During the pre-match segment of the FIFA World Cup opening match between Germany and Curaçao on 15 June 2026, VAR supervisor Shaun Evans of Australia, one of 30 VAR officials selected by FIFA for the tournament, displayed an “OK” hand sign in front of his right leg. The gesture was shown on the live broadcast from the World Cup broadcast centre in Dallas, while the match was played in Houston.

The Guardian

The hand sign—thumb and forefinger forming a circle with the other fingers extended—was designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League in 2019 after it was co-opted by far-right online communities, a “circle game” prank on 4chan. The ADL cited the volume of hateful usage as justification.

The Guardian

• 15 June 2026 – Evans makes the gesture during the VAR panel introduction for the Germany-Curaçao match.

The Guardian

• Following games – TV directors stop introducing the VAR panel, a change noted after the incident.

The Guardian

The Fare Network, FIFA’s discrimination monitor, said expert analysis confirms the gesture resembles the upside-down “OK” used by far-right circles and recommended Evans be removed from World Cup duties. The ADL’s 2019 commentary cited the prevalence of hateful usage as the basis for its classification. FIFA, the Professional Football Referees Association and Football Australia declined comment.

The Guardian

Fare’s criticism highlighted the incongruity of a VAR supervisor displaying a white-power symbol on live camera, questioning whether the act was political or a prank and calling for stricter oversight of officials.

The Guardian

Sources differ on Evans’s intent; the gesture could be a “gotcha” prank or a deliberate extremist signal. No direct comment from Evans, FIFA or Australian refereeing bodies clarifies the motive, leaving the interpretation unresolved.

The Guardian

• “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 Network statement

The Guardian

• “Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup,” — Fare Network statement

The Guardian

• “There is enough of a volume of use for hateful purposes that we felt it was important to add.” — Oren Segal, ADL Centre on Extremism

The Guardian

• “We note that in the two subsequent games it appears TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the TV audience.” — Article observation

The Guardian

The incident highlights intensified scrutiny of hate symbols at major sporting events and raises questions about FIFA’s monitoring procedures. It also shows how broadcast practices can change in response to controversies, potentially affecting the visibility of officiating staff in future matches.

The Guardian