In addition to the overwhelming result of 7-1, the match between Germany and Curacaowhich was played on June 14, generated a controversy related to a VAR referee, Shaun Evans.
This controversy could even put the participation of the Australian referee in the 2026 World Cup at risk, since institutions such as the FARE network (Football Against Racism in Europe) They have called for Evans’ expulsion.
It all goes back to the pre-match, during the presentation of the coaching staff, as well as the referees and VAR managers.
Evans, who was part of the VAR team, was caught while the camera was focused on his team. Then The referee is seen making an inverted “OK” signal below the waist.
This gesture, according to the Anti-Defamation League, in 2019, It is associated with a concept of “white power or supremacy.”
Given this fact, FARE questioned FIFA about why a member of the refereeing body would use a gesture at the precise moment in which It was recorded by cameras.
However, users on social networks indicated that Evans’ gesture could have consisted of recreating the “circle game”a children’s joke in which, if a child observes that gesture, he receives a soft blow on the shoulder and which has gone viral on networks.
Media such as Infobae reported that, as of this controversy, it has no longer been presented in official broadcasts. to the VAR panel through the cameras.
Preliminarily, FIFA has not issued any communicated about its position regarding this situation.
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