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The incident occurred during Sunday's match, where Germany defeated Curacao 7:1. The Australian video assistant referee (VAR) made an "OK" gesture with his right hand in front of his right leg while being filmed in the VAR room. This gesture is used in far-right circles to signify 'white power'.
"The independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee, after investigating the matter, can confirm that it found no evidence of a disciplinary rule violation," AFP quoted the governing body's statement.
The gesture was brought to attention by Fare, a long-standing partner of FIFA and UEFA, dedicated to monitoring racist and discriminatory chants, flags, and symbols at matches worldwide.
On Monday, Evans described the gesture as unintentional. "I understand how this gesture was interpreted, and I regret it. However, I want to state very clearly and unequivocally that I did not consciously or intentionally make this hand symbol. I did not intend to convey any message, affiliation, or belief of any kind," the 38-year-old official stated.
More on the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
- Full Schedule
- Complete Results
- Standings
- 2026 FIFA World Cup News
- World Cup TV Schedule
- Team Kits
- Stadiums
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