FIFA Under Pressure to Remove VAR Official Shaun Evans After Gesture Linked to White Supremacy

The footage spread rapidly on social media, sparking widespread outrage and calls for accountability. The Fare network, which serves as FIFA’s official discrimination monitoring partner at the World Cup, responded swiftly and unequivocally.

The Fare network’s recommendation

The Fare network urged FIFA to take the strongest possible action: remove Shaun Evans from his officiating duties for the rest of the tournament. The organization stated that Evans should “have no further role to play in this World Cup,” describing the gesture as unacceptable and calling on FIFA to act immediately .

The watchdog’s demand places significant pressure on FIFA, which has historically faced criticism for inconsistent and slow responses to discrimination-related incidents within the sport.

FIFA’s response so far

FIFA has acknowledged the incident and confirmed it is reviewing the matter. A spokesperson said the organization is “requesting clarification” from Evans regarding his actions . However, FIFA has not yet announced whether Evans will be suspended, removed from his role, or face any formal disciplinary measures.

Reports also indicate that FIFA took quiet operational steps during the broadcast after the gesture was noticed. Camera shots of the VAR room that would have shown Evans were cut from the live feed for the remainder of the match, a move some observers interpreted as an attempt to contain the fallout rather than address it publicly .

As of now, Evans has not publicly commented on the accusation, and FIFA has not set a timeline for concluding its review .

The gesture and its contested meaning

The hand sign at the center of the controversy — an inverted “OK” gesture where the thumb and forefinger form a circle — was added to the Anti-Defamation League’s database of hate symbols in 2019. The ADL notes that while the gesture is widely used as an innocuous “OK” sign or as part of a children’s game, it has been co-opted by some white supremacist groups and in online trolling campaigns to signal “white power” .

The ADL advises that context and intent are critical when evaluating use of the symbol. The inverted orientation with fingers held below the waist — as Evans appeared to do — has been widely documented as the configuration most closely associated with the extremist meaning .

The incident remains under investigation, and FIFA is now facing renewed scrutiny over how it handles discrimination from its own match officials, not just players and fans.