Sam Kerr's secret has opened a Pandora's box
Sam Kerr stepped onto the podium to join Betty Cuthbert and Cathy Freeman as arguably one of our most cherished sporting greats, after leading the Matildas at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and seeming to single-handedly create an Australian market overnight for her unappreciated football code.
“Golden Girls” never falter but now, just eight months later, the career of perhaps the world’s most famous female soccer player is under a cloud after it emerged Kerr had been charged with the racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in Twickenham, London, in January 2023. The 30-year-old pleaded not guilty to the offence and is scheduled to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates Court next February. Kerr’s legal team, meanwhile, will head back to court next April 26 in a bid to avoid a criminal trial, arguing an abuse of process by Crown prosecutors after they took almost 12 months to lay the charge.
Of course, she is entitled to the presumption of innocence, but Kerr’s apparent decision to keep the incident a secret has opened a public and personal Pandora’s box involving her continued captaincy of the Matildas, possible code-of-conduct violations and the future of her lucrative sponsorship deals.
We first met her at 16 when she scored the opening goal in the 2010 Asian Cup final against North Korea. She signed with a US team and spent the next four years alternating between American and Australian football seasons – and being named the 2018 Young Australian of the Year – before signing with Chelsea. In her first season, 2019, she was the English Women’s Super League’s top scorer, achieving a kind of instant immortality two years later while playing the Italian champions, Juventus, when a young man ran onto the pitch and ignored directions to leave. Kerr ran towards him, dropped her shoulder and hit him in the torso. She was penalised. But we loved her anyway, so much that we chose her to carry the official Australian flag at last year’s coronation of King Charles III. She had captained the Matildas before, but the 2023 World Cup turned her and her teammates into superstars.
Loading
And then on Tuesday morning Australia awoke to Kerr’s news. It appears that she decided to keep the police charges to herself. We can only imagine how it felt to lead the Matildas and score that courageous, heroic and wonderful equaliser against England in the World Cup semi-final in Sydney, while carrying such a dark secret. But the news rocked the sport, with Football Australia conceding it was unaware of the charge and officials at Chelsea repeatedly declining to comment.
Football codes across Australia are united in their stand against racism. Indeed, the Matildas have been vocal on social justice issues involving race, including statements against racism to First Nations people and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. It is unacceptable that Football Australia has been allowed to hear about a potential breach of one of their player’s obligations through the media.
Of course, Kerr faces grave allegations and if convicted should be treated no differently than anyone else found guilty of racially aggravated harassment.
Some have suggested she retain the Matildas’ captaincy because, injured, she is not available for selection. This is fatuous. She is not presently in trouble for the incident, but that she kept it an apparent secret. A court will decide one matter, Football Australia the other. Presently, it is difficult to resist the feeling that she is being treated gently because of Australia’s affection for her. Such special treatment is not extended to other football stars.
The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
