FIFA said it has found "no evidence of breaches" of its Disciplinary Code by a VAR official after calls for them to be removed for appearing to make a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign.
The VAR official, Shaun Evans from Australia, was seen making an upside-down "OK" symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg during official broadcast coverage of Germany's opening World Cup game against Curacao on Sunday.
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.
A statement from FIFA Disciplinary Committee read: "FIFA'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 FIFA Disciplinary Code. The Disciplinary Committee has also taken note of Mr Evans' statement."
Evans has claimed to have not "intentionally" made the gesture and said it was an "involuntary, subconscious twitch."
"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 Australian said in a statement.
"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. Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers.
"The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am. Of course, 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.
"Officiating at the World Cup is the biggest honour of my career and I look forward to supporting my colleagues for the rest of the tournament."
FIFA sought answers from Evans as to why he made the gesture and have subsequently said no evidence of any disciplinary code breaches had been established.
"FIFA'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 FIFA Disciplinary Code," a FIFA statement read. "The Disciplinary Committee has also taken note of Mr Evans' statement."
In all matches up to and including this one, officials have stood facing towards the camera when the feed cuts 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.
The Professional Football Referees Association in Australia and governing body Football Australia have been contacted for comment.
