The ADL, that could be nicknamed the Apartheid Defense League accused Australian referee Shaun Evans of making an upside‑down “OK” hand gesture during a live broadcast—something the ADL considers a White supremacist symbol—and demanded that FIFA remove the 38‑year‑old referee from the World Cup. FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) reviewed the incident and determined that the gesture did not constitute a violation, and Evans will face no disciplinary action.
The ADL created unnecessary drama at the World Cup after claiming that Evans, an assistant referee, flashed a hate symbol before Germany’s 7–1 win over Curaçao. Who died and put the ADL in charge?
In a pre‑recorded video showing the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) team working the Germany–Curaçao match last Sunday, Evans was seen making an “OK” symbol by curling his thumb and forefinger in front of his right leg. In 2019, the New York‑based ADL designated this gesture a hate symbol.
FIFA later cleared Evans, stating that although the gesture resembled one linked to far‑right extremist groups, there was no evidence of wrongdoing. Evans denied any suggestion that the sign was intended to convey a message or affiliation “of any kind.”
ADL & FIFA Ignored Serious and Real Racist Violations
- FIFA never investigated the banning of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was crowned CAF (Confederation of African Football) Best Male Referee for 2025. He was interrogated by U.S. officials for 17 hours at Miami International Airport without legitimate cause and then sent back to Turkey, where his flight originated.
- FIFA ignored visa sanctions and humiliating treatment of players and referees from 40 other countries—four of whose teams had qualified for the World Cup.
- Neither the ADL nor FIFA objected when the U.S. ordered the Iranian national team to leave the country immediately after its 2–2 draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles, despite the team having planned to stay overnight for recovery.
But sure—let’s investigate a hand gesture.
The ADL designated the “OK” gesture as a hate symbol in 2019. But even if it were, how is that related to the ADL, Jews, or the situation in the Middle East? Fortunately for everyone, Israel did not qualify for the World Cup. In fact, Israel has qualified only once in its history—Mexico 1970—where it was eliminated in the group stage behind Italy, Uruguay, and Sweden.
The ADL should stay away from the World Cup. This organization has long acted as a hypocritical instigator. When Elon Musk gave two Nazi‑style salutes on the day President Donald Trump was inaugurated, the ADL rushed to defend him, calling it merely an “awkward gesture.” Yet Musk later wrote, “The ADL hates Christians, therefore it is a hate group.” I would add that the ADL has shown hostility toward Muslims as well, spending the past two years justifying—and even encouraging—mass violence.
The ADL has a long history of smearing and attempting to silence critics of the Israeli government’s human rights abuses against Palestinians—from Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress to Jimmy Carter, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Jewish anti‑occupation activists. The ADL even targeted anti‑apartheid activists in the 1980s, when Israel maintained close ties with South Africa’s racist regime.
Created by Mahmoud El-Yousseph
A few years ago, the ADL accused CAIR, JVP, and SJP of supporting terrorism. Yet it was the ADL itself that was found guilty, convicted, and fined in a U.S. court for engaging in domestic spying operations on individuals and institutions, including Palestinians across the country.
If the ADL insists on spreading nonstop misinformation to millions of Americans every day, it should be required to display a disclaimer on its website: “No reasonable person should believe this dipshit—ever.”
Mahmoud El‑Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes on U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice. Email: elyousseph6@yahoo.com