Sam Kerr has expressed “sincere regret” in a meeting with Football Australia over her contentious recent court case in Britain, and will rejoin the Matildas squad this week as she continues her recovery from a long-term knee injury.
The 31-year-old Kerr was found not guilty last month by a jury in a London court of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
Kerr, a star striker for Australia and for English club Chelsea, accepted she called Police Constable Stephen Lovell “stupid and white” during a heated exchange at a police station after a night out in London in January 2023, but denied it amounted to the charge.
Football Australia reportedly only learned of the charge in March of last year when it emerged in the media, well after Kerr's involvement in the Matildas' run to the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Kerr hasn’t played in more than a year since sustaining an ACL injury during a training camp with Chelsea in Morocco. She met with national soccer officials last week and, in a joint statement Monday, Football Australia’s board said there was no cause for disciplinary action against Kerr.
“I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded,” Kerr said in the statement. “I recognize that leadership means being mindful of our actions both on and off the pitch.
“I’m proud of the Matildas, the role I have played as a member of that team, and everything we stand for, and I’m committed to learning from this experience.”
FA Chairman Anter Isaac said the off-field episode shouldn’t overshadow Kerr’s contribution to the game.
“Knowing how Sam feels about the events, along with the additional context we’ve learned, has added vital perspective that the general public may not be aware of,” Isaac said. "Setting aside those difficulties, this one incident should not offset the incredible contributions she has made, both publicly and privately, on and off the field – for more than 15 years.”
Chelsea consented to Kerr joining the Matildas for the April international window, where her rehabilitation will continue. She's still not cleared for a competitive return, although she could be fit in time for Australia's games against Argentina on May 30 and June 2.
Kerr is Australia's leading scorer in international soccer. She joined Chelsea in 2019 and has scored 99 goals in 128 games for the London club.
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