Sam Kerr, the prominent Australian striker, has expressed her deep remorse in a meeting with Football Australia regarding her recent legal case in the UK. Despite the controversy, she is set to rejoin the Matildas as she works on her recovery from a prolonged knee injury.
Last month, the 31-year-old was acquitted by a London jury of charges involving racially aggravated harassment towards a police officer. Kerr admitted to calling Police Constable Stephen Lovell “stupid and white” during a heated incident at a police station following a night out in January 2023, but she contended this did not warrant the charge she faced.
Football Australia only became aware of the legal proceedings in March of the previous year, after it had already been publicized, long after Kerr’s critical role in leading the Matildas to the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Having not played for over a year due to an ACL injury sustained during a Chelsea training camp in Morocco, Kerr met with national soccer officials recently. Football Australia’s board announced through a joint statement on Monday that there was no ground for any punitive measures against her.
In her statement, Kerr conveyed, “I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded. I understand that leadership requires mindfulness of one’s actions, both on and off the field. I am proud of the Matildas and my contributions to the team, reflecting on this experience as a learning opportunity.”
FA Chairman Anter Isaac spoke on the issue, emphasizing that this incident should not detract from Kerr’s significant contributions to the sport. “Understanding Sam’s feelings about the incident, coupled with additional insights beyond public knowledge, offers essential context. Her extensive contributions—spanning more than 15 years—should not be overshadowed by this solitary event,” Isaac declared.
Chelsea has given the nod for Kerr to join the Matildas during the upcoming international window in April, where she will continue her rehabilitation. Although not yet approved for competitive play, there’s optimism she may be fit enough for Australia’s matches against Argentina on May 30 and June 2.
Renowned as Australia’s all-time leading scorer in international football, Kerr joined Chelsea in 2019 and has impressively netted 99 goals across 128 appearances for the club.