The “OK” hand sign is back in the news after Australia’s FIFA World Cup official was accused of using it during a brief on-camera appearance before a match at the 2026 tournament.
The ADL updated its database in 2019 to include the “OK” gesture, which first gained traction as part of a 4chan trolling campaign designed to trick viewers into believing that its fingers formed the letters “W” and “P” to mean “white power.”
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However, the ADL now claims that extremists are also using it as a legitimate means of expressing white supremacy.
This extremist movement was highlighted when Brenton Tarrant, the Australian man accused of killing 51 people in Christchurch, New Zealand, churches in March 2019, flashed an “OK” sign when he appeared in court after his arrest.
Tarrant also wrote the number 14 on his gun, possibly a reference to the “14 Words,” a slogan for white people, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The sign sparked a new controversy at the World Cup when Shaun Evans, the video review officer, made the “OK” gesture during the broadcast. Evans, who worked in Germany’s opening 7-1 win over Curaçao, was shown making a sign with his right hand in front of his right leg as the radio cut to introduce the video review officials.
Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse at a bar in Wisconsin made a hand sign associated with white supremacists, internet trolls, the military and the word “ok.” (Kenosha County District Attorneys Office)
Evans vehemently denied any malicious intent, saying, “I did not intentionally or symbolically convey a message, association, game or belief of any kind.”
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He revealed that the move was created “on his own accord” and noted that recent footage from the game showed him repeating the move while holding a pen. The FIFA committee finally concluded that the Australian official did not violate the sports disciplinary code.
However, FIFA’s anti-discrimination watchdog, the Fare network, has suggested that Evans be kicked out of the tournament. FARE, a long-time partner of FIFA and European soccer body UEFA which monitors chants, flags and signs of racism and discrimination, said: “The advice from our experts is that the gesture used is clearly similar to the ‘OK’ downward hand sign used as a ‘white power’ symbol in world far-right circles.”
Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant, who made a mark as he appeared in court, was sentenced to life in prison for killing 51 people (Getty)
Describing the act as “neo-Nazi,” Fare added, “It’s clear that this official should have no role to play in this World Cup.” The organization also asked, “Why does the VAR manager use this sign at a world football event when he knows the cameras are on him?”
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Australia’s Professional Football Referees Association (PFRA) accepted FIFA’s findings, defending Evans, who has refereed in Australia’s top flight since 2012. “The PFRA celebrates diversity throughout football and unequivocally rejects racism, bigotry and bigotry in all its forms,” the statement said.
“We acknowledge Shaun’s public statement, where he has addressed this issue directly, and we recognize the importance of fairness, context and due process when complaints arise.”
This incident happened before the German conquest of Curacao (Reuters)
Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Center on Extremism, emphasized in 2019 that context matters when interpreting whether a “OK” sign is hateful or harmless. He noted the ADL’s initial reluctance to add it to the database “because ‘OK’ means ‘OK’ for so long.”
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However, Segal concluded, “Right now, there’s enough volume of hateful use that we felt it was important to add.”
The ADL’s “Hate on Display” online database, established in 2000, serves as an important resource for law enforcement officials, school officials, and others to recognize signs of hate speech.
It has grown to include nearly 200 entries, with recognizable symbols such as flaming crosses, Ku Klux Klan robes, and the swastika.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, emphasized the changing nature of hate, saying, “Even as extremists continue to use symbols that may be years or decades old, they often create new symbols, texts and slogans to express their hateful sentiments.
