Sam Kerr, Chelsea star and captain of the Australian national team, is facing trial in the United Kingdom for allegedly making racist insults at a London Metropolitan Police officer. An incident that took place in January 2023 following a dispute over a taxi fare.
“Samantha Kerr, aged 30 (10.09.93) of Richmond, was charged by postal search on 21 January with a racially aggravated offense under Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986. The charge relates with an incident involving a police officer responding to a complaint related to a taxi fare on January 30, 2023 in Twickenham,” the British police explained in a statement.
The player appeared in court yesterday via videoconference, although she limited herself to confirming her name and pleading not guilty, reported the Daily Mail. The trial for this incident is expected to take place in February next year.
The news has surprised the football world. Football Australia has been the only body to speak out publicly, acknowledging that it is “aware of the legal process involving Sam Kerr in the United Kingdom” and maintaining caution in the face of an ongoing legal process: “Of course, it is a very serious accusation. It refers to racism and there is no place for racism in our sport. At the same time, Sam has rights and we respect them. Our focus remains on supporting all of our players, both on and off the field. “We will continue to monitor the situation and provide support as appropriate.”
Australian coach Tony Gustavsson has also spoken about the accusations against his captain. He was surprised and said that “as a human being, I would always support (Kerr)” that “the only thing I can comment on is my experience and my interaction with Sam as a person, as a footballer, and I only have positive experiences.”
The news comes while the forward is off the field recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. Sam Kerr is the most important footballer in Australia, the top scorer of all time with the ‘Matildas’ with 69 goals and she is also the only footballer to have been crowned top scorer in three leagues on three different continents (Australia, United States United States and Europe).
It remains to be seen if the incident ends up taking its toll on the many sponsors of the Australian star, one of the highest paid and one of those that generates the most advertising revenue. She was the first woman in history to appear alone on the cover of the FIFA video game in 2023 and she is the image of brands such as Nike or MasterCard. Additionally, last May she led the Australian delegation as