Sam Kerr, one of the mainstays of the Australian and Chelsea football teams, has denied the charges.
A football star known from the Australian women’s national team and Chelsea Sam Kerr is accused of racially insulting a London police officer, say the broadcasting companies, for example BBC and ABC.
– The charge relates to an incident where police were responding to a taxi fare complaint in Twickenham, London on January 30, 2023, Greater London Police spokesman told.
On Monday, Kerr denied his guilt in the preparatory court session, the English public prosecutor says. Kerr’s case is due to be heard at Wimbledon Crown Court on February 1, 2025.
Kerr, 30, is one of Australia’s biggest sports stars. The captain of the women’s national team is Australia’s all-time leading scorer with 64 goals. He has been playing for Chelsea since 2019 and finished with 99 goals in 128 matches.
The attacker, who is one of the toughest female players in the world, is currently on the sidelines due to a knee injury she received in January.
CEO of Football Association Australia James Johnson emphasized on Tuesday that there is no room for racism in the sport.
– At the same time, Sam has legal rights that we respect, Johnson said.
Johnson was asked if Kerr should step down as national team captain pending the legal case. According to the federation boss, the sports federation must first find out what has happened in the situation.
Head coach of the national team Tony Gustavsson said he was surprised by the charges.
– I can only say that my experiences working with Sami on and off the field have only been positive.