Injury could spare Sam Kerr from Football Australia’s no-fault stand-down rule

Sam Kerr’s criminal charge appears to have triggered Football Australia’s no-fault stand down rule, but the governing body says it is yet to decide whether to take immediate action against the Matildas captain as she attempts to have the case thrown out of court.

As Kerr’s legal team signalled they would fight to have the 30-year-old’s charge of racially harassing a British police officer dismissed, citing an abuse of process by prosecutors, FA was still dealing with the fallout of a situation that has rocked football.

Sam Kerr’s lawyers are seeking to have her charge thrown out of court.Credit: Richard Wainwright

FA bosses held crisis talks with Kerr’s Australian-based agent Niki White on Wednesday, a day after chief executive James Johnson and Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said they first learned about the allegations, which relate to an incident in January 2023. It is alleged Kerr used insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to a London Metropolitan Police officer – identified in court as PC Lovell – who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare.

Kerr was not officially charged until six weeks ago and appeared in court via videolink on Monday to enter a not guilty plea.

Sources close to developments, who were not authorised to speak publicly because of the sensitive nature of the situation, have suggested that Chelsea were also not fully aware of Kerr’s charge and did not know she was facing court on Monday. Chelsea has not commented since the revelations emerged. White also declined to comment.

Like the NRL’s no-fault stand down rule, FA’s national code of ethics and conduct allows them to suspend any player for an indefinite period “without any finding of fault pending investigation or determination of a matter,” the document says.

By virtue of being charged with a criminal offence, Kerr has committed “misconduct” as defined by the code - but it is up to FA’s “reasonable opinion” as to whether her continued participation in the game would damage the reputation of the organisation or the sport, or if that would occur if she wasn’t suspended on an interim basis.

A spokesperson for FA said the prospect of a no-fault interim suspension would be considered at the “appropriate time” and depending on the facts of the situation, which Johnson said on Tuesday were still being gathered.

Asked when that appropriate time would be, FA offered no further comment.

Since she is only two months removed from suffering an ACL injury, there is no prospect of Kerr returning to the field for club or country for at least another six months, which means there is technically nothing for FA to stand her down from. It is also unlikely she will tag along for the Paris Olympics as a member of staff, or to provide support to other players, due to the smaller number of accreditations offered to football teams by the IOC compared to tournaments run by FIFA.

Sam Kerr in hospital after knee surgery.Credit: Sam Kerr/Instagram

As to whether Kerr should remain as skipper of the Matildas, or if she should be removed as punishment for keeping her employers in the dark, coach Tony Gustavsson sidestepped those questions on Tuesday.

Former Socceroos captain and Stan Sport pundit Craig Foster believes she would have probably been stripped of the captain’s armband already if she was fit to play because of the seriousness of the accusations against her.

“It’s definitely an open question,” Foster said on the Today show.

“The fact that she is not eligible for selection at the moment means that that kind of has been avoided. If she was open now and available for selection, I think you’d have to answer that question - Football Australia would certainly have to, and arguably, the answer would have to be yes.

“Contractually, there’s this no-fault clauses, which say, once that occurs, players are very commonly stood down. Sam will avoid that for a period of time, but the question is going have to be answered eventually.”

FA is offering Kerr support, as is players’ union Professional Footballers Australia, whose co-chief executive Kate Gill played alongside her with the Matildas and at A-League club Perth Glory.

“Importantly, Sam has pleaded not guilty and the matter will now be determined by the courts,” Gill said.

“Sam has made, and continues to make, an enormous contribution to Australian football and the broader country. Regardless of all of her achievements, she is a person first and foremost and, like all of our members, the PFA will ensure she is supported.

“Sam is entitled to a fair hearing before the courts. Attempts to prejudge matters of such a serious nature have historically had a devastating impact on the lives of athletes.”

Watch every match of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League on Stan Sport. All the action streaming ad-free, live and on demand, with select matches in 4K UHD.