Geneva: FIFA’s discrimination monitor at the World Cup urged Monday that a video review official be removed after appearing to make a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign. During the official broadcast of Germany’s opening match against Curacao on Sunday, the camera showed the team of video analysts. Shaun Evans from Australia formed an OK symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg. Although the match took place in Houston, the video officials operated from the broadcast center in Dallas. The Anti-Defamation League designated the gesture a hate symbol in 2019. The Fare network, which partners with FIFA and UEFA to monitor discrimination at games, stated that the gesture clearly resembled an upside-down OK sign used as a white power symbol in far-right circles. Fare described the action as neo-Nazi and said the official should have no further role at the tournament. FIFA was asked for comment, as were Australian referee bodies. It remained unclear whether Evans, working his first World Cup game, intended a political statement or a prank known as the circle game. The symbol was later adopted online as a white supremacy signal. Evans is one of 30 video analysts chosen by FIFA for the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Fare questioned why a supervisor would use the symbol when cameras were focused on him and noted that later matches avoided showing the video panel.
