UK newspaper The Sun has revealed that Australian soccer team Matildas captain 30-year-old Sam Kerr allegedly called a Metropolitan Police officer in London “a stupid white bastard.”
These words were allegedly spoken during a dispute over a taxi fare last year.
London’s Metropolitan Police have alleged the incident happened in Twickenham, on January 30, 2023.
It is further reported that Kerr has been sick in the cab after a night out and then alleged to have unleashed the slur when police arrived.
Kerr, Australian soccer star of Indian heritage, appeared via video link in Kingston crown court and pleaded not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment of a British police officer.
Court documents reveal Ms Kerr allegedly intended to cause the police officer — PC Lovell — “harassment, alarm or distress” by using “abusive or insulting words or behaviour”, or becoming “disorderly”.
It is also reported that Kerr has “full support” of her team and is fighting to have this charge thrown out of court.
The afternoon before the alleged incident, Kerr had scored three goals for her club Chelsea against Liverpool.
In a statement, the sport’s governing body Football Australia (FA) said it was aware of the legal proceedings:
“As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time. Our focus remains on supporting all our players, both on and off the field. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide support as appropriate.”
In January 2022, Kerr outranked Tim Cahill to become the highest-scoring player for Australia. She has scored 58 goals for Chelsea in the WSL where she’s played since 2020 after stints in Australia and the US.
Kerr has an estimated income of $3.3 million per year in salary and endorsements. She works with six major brands, including Uber and Mastercard and is the face of Nike’s Mercurial boots.
She also has a deal with EA Sports as the first woman to grace the cover of its premier sports video game and features in Disney+ series Matildas: The World at Our Feet.
Kerr has won the Golden Boot award in leagues in three different continents. She was in 2022 awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia and was in 2018 named Young Australian of the Year.
Under Section 4 or 4a of the Public Order Act 1986, under which Kerr was charged, the racially or religiously aggravated version of an offence can attract a maximum penalty on summary conviction, which is six months imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.
Athletes who undergo a court proceeding may face court penalties and employers can also take action under codes of conduct within their work agreements.
Judge Judith Elaine Coello has ordered Kerr to appear for a four-day trial at the Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court in February 2025 at which two police officers are expected to give evidence.
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