An Australian soccer star was charged with racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in London after allegedly calling the official a “stupid white bastard” during an incident last year.
Sam Kerr — the captain of Australia’s national women’s soccer team, the Matildas — was charged over an incident in January 2023 that centered on a dispute over a taxi fare in London. Court documents made public this week claim the superstar allegedly intended to cause the officer “harassment, alarm or distress” by using “abusive or insulting words or behavior.”
Kerr has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Kerr, 30, is of Indian heritage. She plays for the English team Chelsea when she is not playing for Australia.
The incident prompted fierce scrutiny in Kerr’s native Australia, which was initially roiled by the news after vague reports that she had used a racial slur during the incident. She quickly became one of the country’s most recognizable sportswomen after last year’s Women’s World Cup and the reports threatened to taint her legacy.
Kerr is due to face trial in February 2025, more than two years after the alleged incident. Her attorneys are reportedly planning to ask the court to downgrade or dismiss the charge at a hearing next month, questioning why it took more than a year for charge to be filed.
Chelsea’s manager, Emma Hayes, said Kerr retained the club’s “full support” after the reports, calling the moment a “difficult time for her.”
“You know there’s difficult moments, there’s tough times, and that’s what my role is in this football club, is to make sure I look after our people and I just want to be clear that Sam will be fully supported by me and everybody else at Chelsea,” Hayes told media outlets.
Chris Minns, the premier of the state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, said he wouldn’t think the comment was racist.
And Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he wouldn’t comment on the charge, but said Kerr’s behavior toward him had been “exemplary.”
If she’s convicted, Kerr could face a prison sentence of up to two years or a large fine.