FIFA’s anti-discrimination monitoring partner wants a video assistant referee pulled from the 2026 World Cup after he appeared to make a hand gesture associated with far-right extremism during a group stage match.
The Fare network, which serves as FIFA’s official discrimination monitor at the tournament, called for Australian VAR official Shaun Evans to be immediately removed from officiating duties. The request came on June 15, one day after the alleged incident during Germany’s 7-1 victory over Curaçao.
What happened and why it matters
During the June 14 match, Evans reportedly made an upside-down “OK” hand gesture. The Anti-Defamation League designated the OK gesture as a hate symbol in 2019. The gesture was notably associated with the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand.
In their statement, the Fare network said the gesture is recognized as a hate symbol within global far-right circles and that Evans is unfit to continue working at the tournament.
