Football Australia to remind Sam Kerr of behaviour expected from her following not guilty verdict

Sam Kerr has been found not guilty in a London court but the fallout from revelations during the trial could yet be significant.

Football Australia will remind Sam Kerr of the “behavioural standards” expected of national team players after the Matildas star was found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.

However, while supporting Kerr, FA has not declared whether Kerr, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, will be stripped of the Matildas captaincy.

Kerr’s not guilty verdict on Wednesday morning (AEDT) in a London court stemmed from an incident in which she called a British police officer “f***ing stupid and white” in January 2023.

Kerr admitted she was drunk at the time following a night out that led to her vomiting in a taxi and a window in the taxi being smashed.

Matildas star Sam Kerr (right) leaves Kingston Crown Court in London after being found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer. Picture” Peter Nicholls/Getty Images

“Football Australia invests heavily in building the behavioural standards and expectations of all involved with our game, especially for all our national team players, where leadership comes with added responsibilities on and off the field,” FA said in a prepared statement.

“Football Australia will reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter and we will continue to provide appropriate support for her moving forward.

“We look forward to Sam’s return to the pitch and her continued contributions to both her club and the Matildas on the world stage.

“Sam has been a key figure in Australian football for many years, and we recognise the significant pressures that this matter has brought to Sam, (her partner) Kristie (Mewes), her family, and everyone involved, including the impact it’s had on the game.

“Throughout this period, Football Australia has remained committed to supporting Sam and will continue to do so as she focuses on her footballing career, rehabilitation from injury and return to play.”

Sam Kerr has published a statement to her Instagram page following the end of her trial in London

Following the verdict, Kerr posted a statement on social media.

“Following today’s not guilty verdict, I can finally put this challenging period behind me,” Kerr wrote.

“While I apologise for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening, I have always maintained that I did not intend to insult or harm anyone and I am thankful that the jury agreed.

“I would like thank my partner Kristie, my family, friends and all the fans for their love and support, especially those who attended court each day.

“I am fully focussed on getting back on to the pitch and looking forward to an exciting year ahead for me and my family.”

Professional Footballers Australia chief executive officer Beau Busch welcomed the not guilty verdict.

“We continue to support Sam as she aims to return to football for both club and country in the coming months,” Busch said.

“Sam will continue to be an inspiration to many young footballers, and play an important ongoing role with the Matildas, especially with the Women’s Asian Cup on home soil next year.”