FIFA acquits VAR referee after scandal over controversial gesture

Video assistant referee (VAR) Sean Evans has been cleared by FIFA after his hand gesture during a live World Cup broadcast and accusations of using racist symbols. According to the results of the investigation, the world governing body did not find any violations of the Disciplinary Code, and the arbitrator himself explained the incident as a subconscious habit. The scandal broke out on Sunday, before the match in which. During the traditional pre-match introduction of the refereeing team, the camera switched to the VAR room in Dallas. At that moment, 38-year-old Australian Sean Evans was standing in front of the camera, and viewers noticed how the fingers of his right hand folded into an inverted "OK" sign. This gesture instantly became the subject of heated debate, as it has two completely different interpretations: The gesture is often used among teenagers in America and Europe. According to the rules, if a person shows an upside-down "OK" sign below the waist and forces another to look at it, they have the right to hit that person on the shoulder. Since 2017, this sign has been co-opted by far-right groups as a symbol of white power. In 2019, the Anti-Defamation League officially listed it as a hate symbol, noting that it is a popular trolling tactic on social media. The anti-discrimination network Fare, which works with FIFA, and the Kick It Out organization immediately called on the governing body to investigate the referee's actions, pointing to the gesture's apparent similarity to a far-right symbol. Following the investigation, FIFA issued a statement confirming that no disciplinary action would be taken against the official and that he remains available for match assignments until the end of the tournament. Evans himself categorically rejected any accusations of deliberately displaying a symbol of hatred. "The coverage of this event is simply not a reflection of who I am. Of course I understand how this gesture was interpreted and I regret it, but I want to make it clear that I did not knowingly or intentionally make the suggested hand gesture. Photographs taken later during the match showed that I repeated this gesture many times with the pen between my fingers," said Sean Evans. The judge also added that working at a tournament of this level is the greatest honor in his career, and he intends to continue faithfully fulfilling his duties. Although Evans was acquitted, the incident forced FIFA to make adjustments to pre-match rituals. Initially, as part of the global coverage of the tournament, the cameras showed the VAR referees, who specially posed in front of the lens. However, after the Germany-Curaçao match, the approach changed markedly: in subsequent games, when the broadcast switched to the VAR center, the referees already turned their backs to the camera and focused exclusively on their working monitors. As a reminder, Sean Evans is an experienced referee who has been working in the Australian A-League since 2012 (including refereeing the 2019 Grand Final). He has been on FIFA's international list of referees since 2017 and already has experience as a VAR assistant at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.