Sam Kerr will face no further action over her run-in with London police and will remain as captain of the national team after being hauled in front of the Football Australia board.
Kerr is also set to join her Matildas teammates in Sydney this week for the first time since suffering an ACL injury more than a year ago, having been granted leave by her club Chelsea to continue her rehabilitation with the Matildas.
Sam Kerr has been sidelined with an ACL injury since January.Credit: Rick Rycroft
Kerr and FA released a joint statement on Monday morning, in which the 31-year-old expressed “sincere regret” for her actions on a night out in January 2023, in which she was involved in a drunken dispute with a taxi driver and later charged with racially aggravated abuse against a police officer, who she called “stupid and white”.
While she was found not guilty after a seven-day trial which concluded earlier this year, there have been calls for Kerr to be stripped of the Matildas’ captaincy as punishment for bringing the team and the sport into disrepute – but after a meeting between FA’s board and Kerr, a review of the “full context” of the events that took place, and with input sought from various stakeholders, FA has decided any further punishment would be unwarranted.
The statement said Kerr’s behaviour had “implications” in relation to FA’s code of conduct, but stopped short of saying she had actually breached it.
“I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded,” Kerr said.
Sam Kerr arrives at court in Kingston upon Thames for her trial for a charge of racial harassment.Credit: Getty Images
“It was an incredibly difficult period for me, my family, my club, my teammates, and especially for the fans whose support means so much to us.
“I recognise 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.
“Moving forward, I’m focused on doing my part to ensure we grow even stronger together, and I look forward to having the opportunity of rejoining the team once I’m fit and ready.”
Kerr hasn’t played for club or country since December 2023, and has not been cleared to return to competitive action with the Matildas in their two friendlies against South Korea – the first on Friday night at Allianz Stadium – but will be involved in training during the lead-up after an agreement was reached between Chelsea and FA.
“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,” said FA chairman Anter Isaac.
“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.”
FA director and former Matilda Heather Garriock, who is leading the search for a new full-time coach, said the federation would be refining its guidelines and training processes to “reinforce accountability, address potential reputational risks, and explore policy enhancements that will help prevent similar incidents” to the one involving Kerr.
