FIFA is seeking an explanation from Australian video assistant referee Shaun Evans after he made a controversial hand gesture during a World Cup broadcast.
The incident occurred on June 14, 2026, before the Germany-Curacao match in Houston.
The live feed from the referee hub in Dallas showed Evans flashing an upside-down "OK" symbol on camera.
The gesture has dual meanings: a harmless internet meme prank or a symbol associated with global white supremacist movements.
The Anti-Defamation League added it to its hate symbol list in 2019.
FIFA has not issued an official response to inquiries, but sources confirmed to BBC Sport that the governing body is demanding answers from the 38-year-old official.
Following the incident, FIFA changed its pre-match broadcast protocol for the next three matches. VAR officials now look directly at their monitors instead of posing for the camera.
The anti-discrimination Fare network, which partners with FIFA and UEFA to monitor discriminatory behavior, confirmed it is seeking clarification.
"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," said the Fare network.
Evans has been on the FIFA referees list since 2017 and officiated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He has served as a referee in the Australian A-League since 2012, taking charge of the Grand Final in 2019.
