FIFA Demands Explanation After VAR Official’s Upside‑Down ‘OK’ Gesture

Mon Jun 15 2026 18:05:22 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

FIFA asks for clarification after VAR Shaun Evans made an upside‑down OK hand gesture during Germany vs Curacao – a sign linked to far‑right hate symbols.

FIFA has requested an explanation following video‑assistant referee Shaun Evans’ upside‑down OK gesture during Germany’s 7‑1 rout of Curacao, a sign that has become a white‑supremacy symbol. The gesture sparked widespread online speculation and drew calls for clarification from anti‑discrimination groups such as Fare and Kick It Out. FIFA has so far issued no comment but is reportedly consulting with the Australian official. It also adjusted the VAR hub presentation in subsequent games, ceasing the pre‑match poses and focusing referees on their monitors.

FIFA Demands Explanation After VAR Official’s Upside‑Down ‘OK’ Gesture

The global governing body has requested an explanation following video‑assistant referee Shaun Evans raising the palm of his right hand in an upside‑down “OK” sign during Germany’s 7‑1 win over Curacao.

While the gesture is popularly used in a playful “circle game” in the U.S., it has also been adopted by far‑right groups as a white‑supremacy symbol and added to the Anti‑Defamation League’s list of hate symbols.

Social media erupted with speculation, and anti‑discrimination organisations such as Fare and Kick It Out have demanded clarity. FIFA has yet to comment but is reportedly consulting with the Australian official.

The incident also led to a visible change in subsequent VAR hub footage, with officials no longer posing for cameras but instead looking straight at their monitors – a shift noted after the match.