Video assistant referee Shaun Evans has been cleared by Fifa following an investigation into a hand gesture he made during a World Cup match in Dallas.
Evans was spotted making the fingers of his right hand into an upside-down ‘OK’ sign when Fifa cut to footage of the VAR team at the referee hub.
The gesture appeared on screen before Germany’s 7-1 victory over Curacao on Sunday, prompting an immediate wave of speculation across social media platforms.
The upside-down ‘OK’ sign carries two very distinct meanings, one entirely harmless and the other connected to an expression of white supremacy.
Fifa launched an investigation into the matter and concluded it found “no evidence of breaches of the Fifa Disciplinary Code.”
The Australian official moved quickly to address the controversy, issuing a statement through world governing body Fifa to clarify his position.
Evans described the gesture as “an involuntary, subconscious twitch” that he was “unaware” of at the time it occurred.
He was categoric in his denial that the gesture carried any deliberate intent, pushing back firmly against the speculation that had surrounded the incident.
“The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am,” Evans said in the statement issued by Fifa.
“Of course, I understand how the gesture has been interpreted and I regret this, however I want to be very clear and categorically say that I did not knowingly or deliberately make the hand symbol suggested.”
Evans also denied “intentionally” making the gesture “to communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind” in his official response.
The incident drew significant attention at a tournament where officials and players alike operate under an intense and unrelenting global spotlight.
