Australian ref explains gesture after World Cup monitor calls for sacking
www.abc.net.au
The Australian referee at the centre of a controversy around an alleged hate symbol being used during the World Cup broadcast has responded.

In short:

Australian referee Shaun Evans made an “OK” symbol below his waist during a live World Cup cross.

The symbol is used as both a harmless children’s game and as a white power symbol in some far-right circles.

FIFA’s discrimination monitor Fare called for Evans to be removed from the World Cup but the disciplinary committee “found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA disciplinary code”.

  • P00ptart@lemmy.world
    16·
    2 days ago

    If I remember correctly, that was never a far-right gesture until some 4chan trolls spread it as one. They made it up and spread it around, and THEN the neo-nazis picked it up.

    • AnchoriteMagus@sh.itjust.works
      7·
      2 days ago

      Absolutely. Was a harmless “OK” sign and a stupid kid’s game for generations. Nazi dumbasses managed to co-opt it for about 6 months of sensationalist press that did nothing other than make people go “Ugh. Nazis fucking ruin everything.”

    • zero_gravitas@aussie.zoneOPEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      I think it looks very much like he was doing the ‘circle game’ thing, though he denies it was intentional at all.

  • maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zoneEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    There was a PSA in the 70s or 80s where the people in the the ads would flash the OK symbol at each other after doing something, like just helping someone carry their groceries or something like that. I don’t think it’s the do the right thing PSAs. Does anyone remember something like this and what it was for?