FIFA clears Australian World Cup video official Shaun Evans over alleged extremist hand gesture

The Australian official was subject to an intense social media backlash during Sunday's Germany clash, with viewers split over a far-right symbol and a viral 2000s schoolyard prank.

FIFA has cleared Australian video review official Shaun Evans of any wrongdoing after investigating a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist symbol. The governing body's disciplinary committee found no evidence of a breach, accepting Evans' explanation of an unintentional, subconscious twitch. Anti-discrimination groups had called for his removal, but FIFA's ruling allows him to continue at the World Cup.

FIFA cleared Shaun Evans after he denied deliberately making the gesture, calling it an "involuntary twitch".

Australian referee Shaun Evans says he didn’t intend to communicate 'message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind'.

Los Angeles, UNITED STATES (AFP) -- FIFA on Monday cleared World Cup referee Shaun Evans of wrongdoing after the Australian official was accused of making a white supremacist hand gesture during a television broadcast. Evans, who was working as a support video assistant referee during Germany's game with Curacao on Sunday, was captured placing his index finger and thumb together with his right hand to form a circle. The gesture -- which has been linked to far-right extremist groups -- was spotted by users on social media, prompting a FIFA investigation. Evans said the gesture had been entirely unintentional in a statement on Monday. "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 governing body said in a statement. Evans said the gesture had arisen from 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," Evans said. "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. "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."

Shaun Evans was seen during the broadcast on Sunday forming a circle with his index finger and thumb on his right hand.