Fans online accuse Hungarian gymnastics coach Noemi Gelle of making a ‘white power sign’ at the Olympics in Paris

Hungarian rhythmic gymnastics coach Noemi Gelle was accused of making a racist hand gesture at the Olympic Games on Thursday.

Gelle appeared on screen during television coverage of the women’s rhythmic individual all-around event after the camera cut to gymnast Fanni Pigniczki.

Both responded by waving at the camera before Gelle used her right hand to make a gesture similar to the ‘ok’ emoji.

While the symbol is known by most people simply as the sign for ‘ok’, it has also been used in recent years as a ‘sincere expression of white supremacy’, according to the Anti-Defamation League. However, a statement by the ADL in 2019 said that ‘particular care must be taken not to jump to conclusions about the intent behind someone who has used the gesture’.

There is no evidence that Gelle was making a ‘white power’ sign and it is very likely that she was simply signalling her approval for Pigniczki, who had just finished her routine.

Fanni Pigniczki (left) and coach Noemi Gelle (right) pictured at the Olympics on Thursday

Hungarian rhythmic gymnastics coach Gelle made a hand gesture when she was on camera

The hand gesture looked like the ‘ok’ emoji but many fans believed it was a ‘white power sign’

Nevertheless, Gelle’s hand gesture on Thursday gained a lot of attention online and multiple fans called for her to be banned.

One comment via X (formerly Twitter) read: ‘If this doesn’t result in a ban…’

Another read: ‘There is no way to ignore it’. 

A third fan asked: ‘Does anyone know how to report it????’ 

Pigniczki placed 12th in Thursday’s competition, meaning she narrowly missed out on a place in the 10-person final.

Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli, Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev and Bulgaria’s Boryana Kaleyn were the top three performers on Thursday.

Pigniczki pictured in action during Thursday’s competition in the Porte de La Chapelle Arena

Pigniczki, 24, pictured in a different outfit, placed 12th in Thursday’s 24-person competition

Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk and Germany’s Margarita Kolosov were fourth and fifth on Thursday.

Slovenia’s Ekaterina Vedeneeva, Israel’s Daria Atamanov, Brazil’s Barbara Domingos, Italy’s Milena Baldassarri and China’s Wang Zilu also qualified for the final.