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Shaun Evans, the Australian Football Association referee accused of making a white supremacist hand gesture during a live television broadcast, has been cleared of any wrongdoing by Football Association‘s independent Disciplinary Committee.
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Evans was serving as a support video assistant referee during Germany‘s match against Curacao on Sunday when cameras captured him placing his index finger and thumb together with his right hand to form a circle. The gesture carries associations with far-right extremist groups, and social media users flagged the moment, triggering a Football Association investigation.
The governing body issued its verdict on Monday.
Football Association’s independent Disciplinary Committee can confirm that, after looking into the matter involving support video assistant referee Shaun Evans, it has found no evidence of breaches of the Football Association Disciplinary Code.”
Evans described the movement as an involuntary, subconscious twitch and issued a direct personal statement addressing the incident.
“I would like to clarify that I did not intentionally make a hand gesture or symbol to communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind. The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious twitch and I was unaware I had done it at the time. 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.”
With the Disciplinary Committee finding no breach of the Football Association Disciplinary Code, Evans faces no sanction and the matter is formally closed at the governing body level. Stay with TipsGG for continued coverage of all major incidents and decisions across the World Cup.