Calls for World Cup VAR official to be removed after 'white supremacist sign'

When the official broadcast of Germany's opening game against Curacao on Sunday showed the VAR officials, Shaun Evans from Australia made an upside down "OK" symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg.

The gesture is used in the harmless 'circle game' but has also been used by far-right supporters and the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL) added it to a list of hate symbols in 2019.

In all matches up to and including this one, officials had stood facing towards the camera when the feed cut to the VAR hub in Dallas. In the games that followed it, the VAR teams were shown at work, facing their screens. FIFA has not commented on why this change was made.

The Fare network, which combats inequality and discrimination in football, is seeking clarification on the matter and called for the official to be sent home.

"Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside down 'OK' hand symbol used as a 'white power' symbol in global far-right circles," the Fare network said in a statement in which they described the gesture as "neo-nazi."

"Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup," they added.

In Australia, the Professional Football Referees Association and governing body Football Australia were contacted for comment.