Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes says Sam Kerr has her ‘full support’ after the player was charged with racially aggravated harassment this week.
The Australian, one of the biggest names in women’s football, was handed the charge over an alleged incident in January 2023 involving a policeman.
Kerr allegedly called PC Lovell of the Metropolitan Police ‘a stupid white PC’ amid a dispute over a taxi fare and threw up in the back of the vehicle in Twickenham.
The 30-year-old, crowned Women’s Super League Player of the Season in 2021-22, has pleaded not guilty and is set for a trial next year.
Hayes has thrown her support behind Kerr and told a press conference: ‘Sam has our full support, she knows that.
‘It’s a difficult time for her. Of course I can’t comment, you know that.’
Quizzed if she knew about the charge and court appearance before Monday’s news broke – after Football Australia claimed they had no idea about it – Hayes added: ‘I can say that I know she’s pleaded not guilty.
‘I don’t want to do anything to jeopardise anything for Sam by speaking about it. For that reason, I’m sure you can appreciate that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.
‘But she has our full support, she knows that, it’s really important I get that across, it’s something I really really value.’
Kerr is the all-time leading Australian international scorer and is the only female footballer to have won the Golden Boot in three different leagues and on three different continents.
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