A World Cup referee has been accused of making a ‘white power’ gesture during TV coverage of Germany’s 7-1 win over Curacao on Sunday.
It has become customary during this World Cup for TV cameras to provide a shot of the VAR officiating team before matches kick off.
Shaun Evans was part of the VAR team that appeared on screen before Germany’s World Cup opener at the Houston Stadium in Texas and the Australian briefly made a gesture with his hand that has previously been associated with white supremacy movements.
The gesture in which the thumb and index finger touch while the other fingers are outstretched has historically meant ‘okay’ or been used as part of a harmless playground prank.
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However, anti-discrimination network Fare say when used upside down, the gesture has links to ‘global far-right circles’ as a ‘white power symbol’.
In 2019, Brenton Tarrant made the symbol in court following his arrest for murdering 50 people in a mosque shooting in New Zealand.
FIFA have told The Athletic they are aware of the incident but refused to offer any further comment while they investigate.
Fare said in a statement: ‘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.
‘Why is a VAR supervisor is using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him? It can only be that he is intentionally transmitting a far-right neo-nazi symbol.
‘We note that in the two subsequent games it appears TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the TV audience.
‘A global television audience should not be subjected to extremist far right individuals using neo-Nazi symbols as they prepare to watch a match. Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup.’
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also characterise the gesture as a ‘hate symbol’ but have previously warned ‘caution’ given its ‘traditional meaning’
‘Because of the traditional meaning of the “okay” hand gesture, as well as other usages unrelated to white supremacy, particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture,’ they say.
More to follow…