Sam Kerr, one of the world’s top female football players, was not found guilty on Tuesday (February 11, 2025) of the racial harassment of a police officer.
A striker for Australia and a striker for the English Club Chelsea, Ker, admitted that he was “stupid and white” to Police Constable Stephen Lavel during a hot exchange at a police station after a night in London in January 2023. It was said, but it had denied that this amount was a fee.
The decision came by a 12-person jury and after more than four hours of deliberations in the Kingston Crown Court in London.
Kerr said in a statement posted on Instagram, “After today’s guilty decision, I can finally put this challenging period behind me.” “When I apologize for expressing myself to a poor manner about a painful evening, I have always maintained that I have not intended to insult or harm anyone and I am thankful that the jury unanimously unanimous Agreed with. “
It is alleged that Kerr and her fiancée, Christie Mevis, an American football player who was contracted to the English Team West Ham, when they were taken to the police station by a taxi driver, they were drinking, who were drinking, who complained He had refused to pay the cost of cleaning, after one of them became ill, and one of them broke the back window of the vehicle.
Kerr, who said that she is afraid of her life because she felt “trapped” during a taxi ride, alleged that the police station became derogatory and derogatory towards Lavel and explains to call it “stupid and white”. Used During the cross-execution in the court, Kerr said that he regretted the way he had expressed himself and denied that Lavel was used as an insult to “White”.
Kerr, who recognizes a white Anglo-Indian, said: “I believed in power and privilege, they had no need to understand what we have done now, And we were afraid of our life.
After the jury reached its decision, Judge Peter Lodder said of Kerr: “I consider that his behavior was contributed significantly in bringing this charge. I do not follow the decision of the jury, but the cost has a significant impact. ,
Kerr’s test has been a headline news in Australia, completely dissected by domestic media in court each day.
During the interview by the police, there has been a debate on the allegations from the validity of Kerr’s conduct.
Her status as the captain of Matialidus, the national female football team, which is very much liked, has been called by critics. Kerr is the captain and a leading scorer for Australia, with 69 goals since its debut in 2009.
Football Australia said he welcomed Kerr’s statement and it would talk to him about the incident.
A statement from Football Australia said, “Football Australia invests heavily in the creation of the behavior standards and expectations involved with our game, especially for all our national team players, where the leadership is on and out on the field Comes with responsibilities of. ” “(We) will reflect with Sam on learning from the matter and we will continue to provide appropriate assistance to him to move forward.”
The statement on Wednesday also stated that football Australia “recognizes important pressures that the case has brought Sam, Christie, his family and all the people involved, including its impact on the game.
“During this period, football has been committed to supporting Australia Sam and will continue to do so as it focuses on her football career, returning to rehabilitation and playing from injury.”
Kerr joined Chelsea in 2019 and scored 99 goals in 128 matches for the London Club, a top contender for defending English champion and Women’s Champions League title.
She has not played since maintaining ACL injury during a hot weather training camp with Chelsea in Morocco in January 2024.
Kerr is expected to return to the coming weeks, which is at time to play for Australia in a pair of international friendship against South Korea led by the 2026 AFC Asian Cup against South Korea in April.
Published – February 12, 2025 06:41 AM IST
