FIFA clears World Cup referee accused of making white supremacist gesture
FIFA has cleared Australian VAR assistant Shaun Evans of any wrongdoing after an accusation of making a white supremacist hand gesture during the Germany vs. Curaçao broadcast. Evans called the movement an 'involuntary, subconscious twitch' and denied intent. FIFA’s disciplinary committee found no breach of rules, but racism monitors have criticized the decision. A review official has been urged to remove Evans by FIFA’s discrimination monitor.
What changed
FIFA’s disciplinary committee has now publicly confirmed its decision to clear Evans of wrongdoing, adding to the earlier statement that no breach was found.
Live updates
-
FIFA upholds referee Shaun Evans after white supremacist gesture claim
confidence 95%FIFA has cleared Australian VAR assistant Shaun Evans of any wrongdoing after an accusation of making a white supremacist hand gesture during the Germany vs. Curaçao broadcast. Evans called the movement an 'involuntary, subconscious twitch' and denied intent. FIFA’s disciplinary committee found no breach of rules, but racism monitors have criticized the decision. A review official has been urged to remove Evans by FIFA’s discrimination monitor.
What's confirmed:
- FIFA’s disciplinary committee has cleared Australian video referee Shaun Evans of any wrongdoing after the white supremacist gesture accusation.
- Evans described the gesture as an 'involuntary, subconscious twitch' and denied any intent to offend.
- FIFA’s investigation found no evidence that Evans breached its disciplinary rules.
- FIFA’s discrimination monitor at the World Cup has called for the removal of the match official involved in the gesture controversy.
Still unconfirmed:
- Racism monitors continue to criticize FIFA’s decision, though no further details on their specific demands have been confirmed.
-
FIFA clears World Cup referee Shaun Evans after white supremacist gesture claim
confidence 92%FIFA has cleared Australian VAR assistant Shaun Evans of wrongdoing after he was accused of making a white supremacist hand gesture during the Germany vs. Curaçao broadcast. Evans called the movement an 'involuntary, subconscious twitch' and denied any intent. A FIFA ethics committee found no breach of disciplinary rules. Racism monitors have criticized the decision.
What's confirmed:
- FIFA found no evidence Shaun Evans breached its ethics code after the white supremacist gesture accusation.
- Evans described the gesture as an 'involuntary, subconscious twitch' and said it carried no intended message.
- The incident occurred during the broadcast of Germany’s match against Curaçao on Sunday, June 15, 2026.
- FIFA’s disciplinary committee concluded Evans did not violate any rules, though racism monitors urged his removal.
- Evans insisted the gesture had no connection to any personal beliefs, affiliations, or messages.
Still unconfirmed:
- Some sources suggest the gesture resembled a white supremacist hand signal, though no footage or exact description of the movement is confirmed beyond the circle formed by Evans’ thumb and index finger.